Seasonal Changes in Nitrogen and Moisture Content of Cattle Manure in Cool-Season Pastures

Abstract

Fresh cattle manure was collected weekly from 3 cool-season riparian pastures in southeastern South Dakota during the summer of 1981 to determine the relationship of diet of livestock to manure quality. Five manure samples collected from each site were returned to the laboratory, mixed thoroughly, and subsampled to determine the percent moisture and percent total nitrogen of the feces. Moisture content of the manure was highest during the month of June but decreased later in the summer. Nitrogen content was highest in late spring and declined in July with a rise noted again in August. Nitrogen content appeared to follow reported changes in forage quality, particularly in vitro digestibility.