An often overlooked by-product of the alpaca, alpaca manure (or “beans”) is one of, if not the very best, natural fertilizers available on the market today! Alpaca beans are not required to be “aged” or “cured” prior to use, meaning it will not burn the plants it comes in contact with and can be applied to seedlings and mature plants alike without worry. And thanks to the alpaca’s amazingly efficient digestive system, foreign seeds are not allowed to germinate and all organic matter is decomposed- allowing your plants to take center stage and grow with success and without worry about unwelcomed seeds invading your garden.  The organic matter content is less than the manure from most other barnyard livestock (cows, horses, goats, and sheep), but it still has more than enough nutrients and conditioning to improve soil texture and the ability to hold water.

 

The nitrogen and potassium content is comparatively high, an indication of good fertilizer value. Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) are the major plant nutrients. They are very similar to the familiar N-P-K you find labeled on bagged commercial fertilizer. In the case of alpaca beans, we typically find (N)1.5-(P)0.2-(K)1.1. As you can see, by comparison, Phosphorus, with a reading of 0.2 is relatively low, as in most livestock manure. The calcium and magnesium content is average with a reading of .91 for Calcium and .45 for Magnesium.

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Chicken Manure (N)1.1-(P)1.4-(K)0.6:

Chicken Manure is commonly used among farmers. It is high in Nitrogen, which makes it great for non-flowering vegetable plants, but it can easily burn plants unless composted first. A small amount of dried chicken manure can be mixed in small concentrations directly into the soil. Chicken manure is also a common ingredient in some mushroom compost recipes. One potential concern for the budding organic farmer is a large number of antibiotics fed to domestic fowl in caged production facilities. It is also suggested that some caution is used when handling chicken dropping, whether fresh or dried, as chicken manure can carry extremely dangerous diseases and parasites such as; Escherichia Coli (E-Coli), Salmonella Bacteria, and Cryptosporidium Infection.

 

Poultry Manures (N)1.1-(P)1.4-(K)0.6:

Often chicken droppings mixed with the droppings of other domesticated birds including; duck, pigeon, and turkey. They are “hotter” than most animals droppings, and in general, are treated like chicken manure.

 

Cattle Manure (N)0.6-(P)0.2-(K)0.5:

Steer manure is one of the old standbys, but it is not the most beloved due to it often containing unwanted salts and seeds from weeds. Cattle are considered a “cold” manure since it is moister and less concentrated than most other animals manures. It breaks down and gives off nutrients fairly slowly and can be a very good source of beneficial bacteria, due to the complex bovine digestive system. However, due to recent amplification in the use of bovine growth hormones to increase milk production certainly could become a concern for organic farmers trying to source safe cattle manures. The healthier the cow, and the cow’s diet, the more nutrients its manure will carry.

 

Horse Manure (N)0.7-(P)0.3-(K)0.6:

Horse Manure is about half as rich as chicken manure, but by comparison, it is richer in Nitrogen than cow manure. Like with chicken droppings, horse manure is considered “hot”. Horse manure also contains a lot of seeds from weeds, which means it would probably be a good idea to compost it using a “hot composting method” (when compost temperature is maintained between 131-149 degrees Fahrenheit, the C:N (Carbon: Nitrogen) balance in the composting materials is approximately 25-30:1, the heap needs to be roughly 5ft high, material high in Carbon- such as tree branches, need to be broken up, or mulched and then turned from outside to inside and vice versa to mix thoroughly).

 

Goat Manure (N)0.7-(P)0.3-(K)0.9:

Goat Manure can be treated in a similar fashion to sheep dung or horse manure. It is usually fairly dry and rich and is “hot” manure and therefore it is recommended that you compost it prior to using.

 

Pig Manure (N)0.5-(P)0.3-(K)0.5:

Pig Manure is a highly concentrated or “hot” manure. It is less rich in Nitrogen than horse manure or bird droppings, and should not be used where the edible part of root vegetables and leafy greens touch the soil, presenting a great risk for potential health problems. Pig manure is best used when mixed and composted with other manures or in large quantities of vegetable matter.

 

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Rabbit Manure (N)2.4-(P)1.4-(K)0.6):

Rabbit Manure is the hottest of the animal manures. It is also higher in Nitrogen and Phosphates than most poultry manures. Because of its high Nitrogen content, rabbit droppings is best used in small quantities, and lightly mixed into soil that is composted before use.