Benefits of Turkey Manure. It is a valuable soil amendment, adding organic matter to the soil, which helps hold water and nutrients. It turns a waste product into a valuable resource.
Turkey Manure Facts
- Turkey manure is a valuable natural fertilizer containing turkey droppings, bedding, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
- Animals should not be grazed on lands on which poultry litter has been spread.
- Farmers should avoid spreading near waterways and comply with the recommended level of animal manure for land spreading.
- Artex manure spreaders are tough on turkey manure and can easily spread it around your fields.
- Farmer from Sleepy Eye, MN successfully uses an Artex SB600 to spread his turkey manure.
- A three-year interval between land spreading of litter is recommended.
- Farmers should avoid unnecessary contact with turkey manure. There are disease risks for animals and humans who come in contact with it.
- Farmers should not make baled silage from lands where litter was spread.
- Farmers should follow good farming practices when spreading turkey manure.
- It smells! Most manure does!
Now that you know the facts about turkey manure, here are some benefits of using it to fertilize your fields.
Benefits of Turkey Manure
- It’s natural.
- It’s cost effective.
- It is a valuable soil amendment, adding organic matter to the soil, which helps hold water and nutrients.
- It turns a waste product into a valuable resource.
- It reduces the use of chemical fertilizers.
- It is a sustainable practice.
Of course there is much more to turkey manure and its application than we listed above. Here are three additional resources if you’re seeking more information.
Turkey Manure Resources & References
- Univ. of Minnesota Extension: Soil Sampling for Manure Application Case Study
- Guidelines for Using Poultry Litter on Pastures
- Best Practices for Storing and Applying Poultry Litter
- Iowa Turkey Federation
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
We hope that all this talk about manure didn’t spoil your appetite for the yummy turkey dinner ahead! Happy Thanksgiving from the crew at Artex!
Did you know that turkey manure is one hot fertilizer with slightly more nitrogen (PDF) than chicken manure? Though the difference is slight — and actually disputed by the University of Minnesota — one thing’s clear. Turkey manure, like other poultry manure, is a valuable source of phosphorus, potassium, and, yes, nitrogen. It also contains other valuable nutrients and microbes that your plants will appreciate.
If you’re lucky enough to have your own little homestead with a turkey or three trotting about — we’re told they make acceptable country pets and a single male strutting around can be as decorative as a peacock — or live near (but not too near) a source of good organic turkey manure, take advantage. Most likely, it will be available as “litter,” mixed in with sawdust, straw, feed and other components to be swept or shoveled off the coop floor (wear a mask). No matter how your turkey droppings come, you’ll want to compost the manure before using it in gardens.
Like all manures, turkey droppings fresh from the farm may be too hot for your plants. Fresh manure may also contain pathogens. Composting manure — or the manure mixed in with litter — to a temperature of 131 degrees or more, and held there for a couple weeks, will take care of the pathogens. And the composting process will make what nitrogen’s left — and there’ll be plenty — more accessible when it’s worked into your soil. Here’s a testimonial to the power of turkey manure that was posted on the University of British Columbia Botanical Gardens Forum. Sounds like your garden will gobble it up.
Composting Turkey Litter: Fertilizing Plants With Turkey Manure
Animal manure is the basis for most organic fertilizers and it breaks down into chemicals every plant needs: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Each type of manure has a different chemical make up, because of the different foods that animals eat. If you have soil that’s in great need of nitrogen, turkey manure compost is one of the best choices you can make. If you have a turkey grower in the area, you may have a ready supply of a valuable addition to your garden and compost bin. Let’s learn more about how to use turkey litter in the garden. Composting Turkey Litter Because of the high nitrogen content, using turkey manure in gardens can be a bit tricky. Unlike straight cow manure and some other manures, if you fertilize plants with turkey manure, you run the risk of burning tender new seedlings. Luckily, there are a couple of ways to get around this problem. The simplest way to make turkey litter safer for your garden plants is to add it to your compost pile. The high nitrogen content in the turkey manure means that it will break down the compost components quicker than other composting ingredients, giving you a rich source of garden soil in a short amount of time. Once the turkey litter is mixed in with the other compost elements, it will enhance the mix without being overly nitrogen-rich. The other way to use turkey manure in gardens is to mix it with something that uses up some of the nitrogen before it gets to your plants. Mix together a combination of wood chips and sawdust with the turkey manure. The nitrogen in the manure will be so busy trying to break down the sawdust and wood chips, that your plants won’t be adversely affected. This results in an excellent soil amendment ingredient, as well as a great mulch for retaining water while slowly feeding your plants. Now that you know more about fertilizing plants with turkey manure, you’ll be well on your way to having the lush garden you’ve always dreamed of.