There are an estimated 325,000 horses on about 53,000 Ontario farms — an average of six horses per farm. Many horse owners do not consider the need to handle and store their manure and often view it as a waste and nuisance rather than a resource.
They are afraid of introducing, or recycling, intestinal parasites and/or weed seeds by applying the manure on their pastures — a valid concern, since many horse owners pile their manure without encouraging the proper composting that would kill parasites and seeds.
Improperly handled horse manure can also affect the quality of surface water and groundwater because it contains phosphorus, nitrogen and pathogens, just like other livestock manures (Figure 1). The ideal horse manure storage should be simple yet effective, labour efficient and cost-effective.
It should prevent contamination of surface water and groundwater, encourage proper composting and make the manure more useful for crop production. This Fact sheet will help you understand the need for correct horse manure storage and explain how to construct an ideal horse manure storage for up to 10 horses.
Do these problems sound familiar?
If you agree with some, or all, of the following statements about manure at your horse farm, consider constructing a manure storage:
- I think horse manure is more environmentally friendly than other manure types.
- I’ve heard about new “manure rules” in Ontario but I have no idea if they apply to me.
- I see juices running away from my horse manure. I see flies and smell odours around it.
- I’m concerned about parasites and/or weed seeds, so I don’t spread manure, and my pile is growing.
- The manure broker I hire to truck my manure has to “chase” it around the yard in order to pick it up.
- It is really tricky transporting my manure by wheelbarrow from the horse barn to the pile.
- I want to do my part to protect water quality, but I’ve heard constructing storages is expensive.
Let’s look at how to address some of these issues with the construction of your ideal horse manure storage.
Is horse manure environmentally friendly?
NMAN is a software tool that helps farmers determine suitable nutrient application rates for current and future crops. The database contained in NMAN, a software program produced by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), inventories the manure nutrient contents of many kinds of Ontario livestock manures collected over the years.
At writing, there are almost 1,100 dairy manure samples in the NMAN database, but only 40 samples of Ontario horse manure, even though there are almost as many horses in Ontario as dairy cows. Table 1. Horse manure characteristics from the NMAN database, MSTOR program and NMA 2002 Nutrient Management Protocol (range of analyses based on as-is, or wet basis, for 40 samples, May 2007) for one adult horse.
- Weight (medium-sized horse): 454 kg (1,000 lb)
- Nutrient units under the Nutrient Management Act: 1 nutrient unit (1 NU)
- Volume of solid manure & bedding produced per day: 0.04 m3 (1.42 ft3 )
- Volume of solid manure & bedding produced per year: 14.7 m3 (519 ft3 )
- % dry matter: 23%–63% (36% average)
- % N (nitrogen): 0.22%–0.9% (0.5% average)
- % P (phosphorus): 0.05%–0.4% (0.15% average)
- % K (potassium): 0.1%–1.0% (0.4% average)
- NH4-N (ppm) (fresher manure has a higher level): 10–2,800 (637 average)
- Carbon/nitrogen (C:N) ratio: 12:1 to 63:1 (30:1 average)
- Organic matter: 19%–62% (26% average)
- Typical beddings uses: Shavings, peat, sawdust, straw
NMAN’s companion software program MSTOR uses information about livestock manure volume production to determine how much manure needs to be stored, based on the type and size of production system. Table 1 shows made-in-Ontario information about horses (1) . A 450-kg (1,000-lb) horse produces about 2.0 tonnes (2.2 tons) of manure/year, including bedding.
So, the average farm with six horses would produce a manure pile every year that would completely fill a large room, 6 m x 6 m x 2.4 m high (20 ft x 20 ft x 8 ft). Imagine how large a manure pile 325,000 horses would create!
The nutrient content of horse manure is comparable to beef manure containing bedding. Horse manure contains pathogens like other manures. So, nutrients and pathogens contained in runoff from horse manure piles could cause environmental issues if allowed to flow to surface waters via ditches or tile drains, or to groundwater via shallow bedrock or coarse soils under a manure pile.
New rules for manure in Ontario
There are new rules about the storage and handling of livestock manure in the Nutrient Management Act, 2002 (NMA), and Ontario Regulation 267/03. See the OMAFRA website or call the Nutrient Management Information Line at 1-866-242-4460.
The free publications listed below are available at any OMAFRA office and can be ordered through the OMAFRA website. Click on English, then the Nutrient Management button, then Livestock Sources.
- Publication 827, A Small Horse Farm Example: Your livestock operation under the NMA, 2002
- Publication 830, A Riding Stable Example: Your livestock operation under the NMA, 2002
- You fall under NMA rules if:
- You currently have 300, or more, medium-sized horses housed simultaneously on your “farm unit” (uncommonly large horse farm by Ontario standards), or
- You’re applying for a building permit to build a new horse barn or manure storage OR expand an existing horse barn or manure storage AND you will have more than 5 NU (e.g., 6 or more medium-sized horses) when the project is complete.
Check with your municipality to determine if a building permit is required for your manure storage. Typically, permits are required for structures with high walls, roofs or specialized construction needs due to structural concerns (Figure 2).
The need for engineered design of the small horse manure storage’s described in this Fact sheet is waived if these storage’s meet all the following criteria:
- volumes less than 600 m3 (21,189 ft3 )
- floor areas less than 600 m2 (6458 ft2 )
- wall heights 1 m (3.25 ft) or less. (Note: walls must be 1 m or less, but the manure can be stored as deep as is practical).
There are siting restrictions for storage’s phased-in under the NMA, but it also is a best management practice to meet, or exceed, these minimum setbacks:
- 15 m (50 ft) away from any field tile drains
- 15 m (50 ft) away from a drilled well
- 100 m (328 ft) away from a municipal well
- 30 m (100 ft) away from any other wells
- 50 m (164 ft) flow path away from surface waters or tile inlets such as catch-basins
Information Sourced From:
