Less flies and odor at the manure heap
Where there are horses, there is manure. And where there is manure, you almost always have a manure heap. The disadvantage of this is that such a heap can smell and cause flies. Do you need a manure heap? What are the rules? And how can you prevent a fly outbreak or odor nuisance?
Others
Pasture
15 June '21 • 1 min reading time
If you only have a few horses that are not in stables, you can make a compost heap with the dry manure from your pasture and paddocks. This involves some trial and error, you also use, for example, garden waste, and you have to turn over the compost. The advantage is that you can eventually use this compost for your (vegetable) garden and you do not have to dispose of the manure.
Permit required for the manure heap?
When cleaning your stables, there is bedding and urine in your manure. In that case, a manure heap is necessary. Be aware that manure piles larger than 3 by 3 meters must be liquid proof. The liquid-tight bottom is intended to prevent soil pollution by ammonia. Permanent manure heaps, for example with a concrete bottom, require a permit. When the manure heap is full, you can hire a company to remove the manure.
Flies and odor
Outside urban areas, there must be at least 50 meters between the manure heap and 'sensitive objects' or in other words: the neighbors' house. Within urban areas, this is even 100 meters. But even on your own property, you can of course have problems with odor and flies. For example, in the garden in the evening. Flies love manure, they lay their eggs in it and then a few days later you have even more flies. And when the so-called rotting bacteria dominate in a manure heap, odor is produced. Frequently taking away the manure is an option, but not practical for everyone.
Effective microorganisms against odor and flies
To significantly reduce the number of flies and odor nuisance, you can work with effective microorganisms. The manure pile will ferment faster, compact better, and no longer emit odors. Also, the nuisance of flies is much less, thanks to the hardworking bacteria and fungi in these products. Effective microorganisms help to build up a favorable population of microorganisms in the manure heap. Especially the fermentative microorganisms - also known from beer, sauerkraut, and yogurt - play an important role in this. Fermentation is the opposite of rotting, it is a beneficial process. The manure heap compacts, no longer emits odors, and attracts hardly any insects.