Science at work
To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science - Albert Einstein
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Our product works! But if we didn't explain how or why, it will only be a half job done. In the interest of the wide audience that reads this, we have tried to simplify this science so that it interests one and all.
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Horse pee on Coir
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Elements of composting
Microbes and other organisms cannot decompose a manure pile without the right combination of the four critical elements: Oxygen, Moisture, Carbon & Nitrogen.
At the ideal Carbon to Nitrogen ratio of 30:1, the manure pile decomposes rapidly. If not, the decomposition will take a while. Horse Manure with zero bedding in it has a C:N ratio ranging from 30: 1 to 50:1 [Source}. This will decompose quickly as per the original plan designed by Mother Nature. Most of the stall bedding materials are derived from wood sources. Here's the C:N ratio of a few of them: [Source}
* Saw Dust - 200-750:1
* Wood Shavings - 200-1300: 1
* Softwood bark: 100-1000:1
* Wheat Straw: 100-150: 1
All these bedding materials have a very high C:N ratio to begin with. Wheat straw could probably have the closest C:N for ready decomposition. But it doesn't last long.
At the ideal Carbon to Nitrogen ratio of 30:1, the manure pile decomposes rapidly. If not, the decomposition will take a while. Horse Manure with zero bedding in it has a C:N ratio ranging from 30: 1 to 50:1 [Source}. This will decompose quickly as per the original plan designed by Mother Nature. Most of the stall bedding materials are derived from wood sources. Here's the C:N ratio of a few of them: [Source}
* Saw Dust - 200-750:1
* Wood Shavings - 200-1300: 1
* Softwood bark: 100-1000:1
* Wheat Straw: 100-150: 1
All these bedding materials have a very high C:N ratio to begin with. Wheat straw could probably have the closest C:N for ready decomposition. But it doesn't last long.
Composting coco bedding soiled with manure
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Coco Bedding, on the other hand has a high C:N ratio (100:1). If our bedding was left by itself, it probably will take a very long time [5 years or more] to fully decompose. Because of it's structural integrity, coco peat finds its application as a soil-less medium, a perfect alternative choice to peat moss. Visit our other website www.forpeatssake.com for details.
So, how can this product be suitable for a stall bedding? Won't it take years for the manure-coco bedding pile to break down? The answer lies in the secret ingredient - urine, which contains uric acid, loaded with nitrogen. By absorbing all the horse pee, the nitrogen (and the stench of ammonia as well) gets locked up in Coco Bedding. Unlike other live stock the total organic matter (TM) of horse urine is very low (7%) [Source]. So, while still in use, the bedding won't decompose inside the stall. When the product is used in the stall, you can see the bedding slowly turn black. This is a good sign because the product is working well. It is absorbing the urine & holding the nitrogen inside the bedding. In other words, the nitrogen portion of the C:N ratio slowly increases, but there is no change in the percentage of carbon. During the daily clean up, the drier bedding from the corners gets raked into center of the stall. This will suck up the excess nitrogen and the bedding will turn back to a brownish-blackish color. The process gets repeated till the bedding gets saturated and looks all black. At this point, the bedding is stripped from the stall and thrown into a manure pile. It is almost semi cooked. In about 90-120 days without having to turn the compost pile, the manure-bedding pile decomposes fully. Rich in nutrients, it can now be used as a fertilizer or a soil amendment. |
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Why shavings or saw dust mixed with manure doesn't decompose quickly?
Very Simple. Because these products are poor absorbents, the excess urine gets drained away (the run off is another major pollution, but that is a discussion for another day). Since the start up ratio of C:N is too high (sometimes as high as 1000:1) and not much urine is getting absorbed, there is no change to the nitrogen portion. The two elements, C & N, stay dormant in the manure pile like a divorced couple and no decomposition can occur. The stench is unbearable. Flies and the insects feast on this all you can eat buffet. They in turn attract rodents and reptiles, which further attracts birds of prey. It takes a few years before the ideal 30:1 ratio of C:N is achieved.