How cow dung is useful for agriculture?


Human beings started to cultivate the land almost 6000 years before Christ. With the birth of agriculture in the world, the man has started to use bovines such as cow dung for the work in the fields. After using these manure materials for a period of time then they had eventually discovered that the nutrients and the minerals that are present in the cow manure are very good and essential for the enriching of the soil. Since the birth of human civilization, cow dung has been used as a natural fertilizer.

Characteristics

When the cow dung was being mixed into the soil then it was observed that if the mixture was left like that for a period of time, then the soil started to absorb all the required nutrients that were present in the manure. Elements such as nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium and magnesium are some of the minerals that are present in the cow dung that is very much needed by the soil in order to grow a healthy crop. The manure is such a hit in the agricultural field because not only does it have a good quality of the minerals but it also provides those minerals in a good quantity. Using the manure increase the growth and the lifespan of the plants and give you a good crop to harvest.

Is cow manure still used today?

Yes, cow manure is still used today but comparatively the usage has gone down. With the introduction of facilities such as tractors and other field devices, the cows and bulls have not been used much nowadays in order to plough the field and for other works. Hence the number of cows that were present on the farm also decreased which finally led to a decrease in the usage of manure. As the world has been developing at a rapid pace and they have been evolving in all dimensions and directions, the same happened in the field of agriculture. Through deep scientific studies, they have created new chemical fertilizers that do increase the growth of the crops but also it should be kept in mind that when these fertilizers are being disposed of then they are causing a serious inconvenience to nature by polluting it. The effects of these chemical fertilizers are negative for the environment and therefore heed has to be paid.

Uses of cow manure

Cow dung can be used not only as a fertilizer but also for cooking in rural places. The cow dung is made into patties and there is used as a fuel for cooking. In Africa, the cow manure is used to repel mosquitoes by burning the cow dung in the house. In cold places, the cow dung is used to line the walls as a cheaper means of getting a thermal insulator. There have also been recent studies going on as to whether cow dung can be used to generate energy. They plan on conveying the cow dung into a big tank, where the natural bacteria break down the manure giving heat and methane gas. After that, through a natural motor, methane gas is transformed into energy.

Updated on: 30-Jul-2019

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