The Proof Is in the Pile!: Assess Livestock Health from Manure

Reader Contribution by Meg Grzeskiewicz
Published on January 9, 2014
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After you read this, I hope you’ll never look at a cowpie the same way again! Every manure pile is a gold mine of not just fertilizer, but animal performance information too. You can tell so much about how a cow’s digestive tract is processing ingested nutrients, just by looking down.

Ideal Pile

The ideal manure pile is one to two inches tall. It has circular ripples like a target, and a small pond-like depression in the middle. Spread it open with your boot. It should have the consistency of pumpkin pie (as Missouri grazier Greg Judy always says). The animal that left this gift has a well-functioning digestive tract, and is utilizing all available nutrients in the grass it eats. It is gaining, growing or milking to its maximum ability.

Fibrous Pile

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