Lowes is VERY nice about taking returned items. If you return the steer manure along with your concerns about feed-lot practices/meds which may pass into the fertilizer, then Loews may alter their buying. I would like to see a label that states a product is free of meds/hormones, etc.

A lot depends on just what "composted" means in the corporate jungle.

I agree about the antibiotics being harmful to your soil and the plants that you grow on it. But surely hope that all the fattening and slaughtering in this country is related to cows and not steers (yet). Cow manure is different from steer manure. I recommend that you either buy organic compost or make your own at home from kitchen scraps and yard trimmings. Those are safer. And if you did not open that bag of manure, you can return it if you don't mind hauling it back to Lowe's.

I have not used it for years, but when I did it was mostly for covering newly seeded lawn, planted in the fall. It worked well, with negligible weeds. Fifty years ago I was able to buy a pickup load directly from a feedlot, raw not composted at all. At the time I was living on a small lot in Watsonville. This smelly pile in my yard was NOTICEABLE. I covered the whole pile with Gypsum to discourage the flies and my neighbors complaints. That year my fifty foot row of Dahlias lining my fence was so spectacular the local newspaper, in their first color edition printed my dahlias across the whole front page. I have forgotten what it was I was supposed to complain about. Al

thanks! i am planning to return it.... the main reason is-- i am reading a lot on forums that it is from those slaughter houses where the animals are not "happy" and they are given lot of antibiotics, steriods etc...i would not want to promote anything from such places so throwing it away is not an option here...i have to cancel their sale by returning it back even if it is less than a dollar. i am a vegetarian and as far as dairy is concerned i buy only organic! I will look for some organic manure.

Wow! calistoga: loved your Dhalia story...it must have been fun! Did u give any of those Dahlias to your complaining neighbors :-D

I will second asking a 4h club. Both my daughter are in 4h an between the bunnies, sheep and goats we gladly give manure away. No hormones but antibiotic are give if we have a sick animal(very rare). With the records 4h member have to keep you can ask about medicine giving and they should be able to tell you the date, type and amount giving.

i returned it finally :-) and told them i wanted the organic one from dairy...felt good & even better after reading your posts. Cool...i will check with 4h ..thanks!

Good idea about 4H donations. Made me remember reading recently that the Los Angeles Zoo has a program wherein they give away the manure from their collection, so you could get elephant, hippo etc dung for your garden. I think they have an arrangement with a couple of local organic organizations to give it away.

FYI - Salt content can be an issue in dairy compost. They give the cows extra salt to encourage drinking which increases the volume of milk produced. I agree with the person who said it's best to make your own so you know what is in it. However, I have never succeeded in making finished compost. It's not as easy as it might sound.

I’m an organic gardener and I use 2 cubic feet (30lbs) of Bagged composted steer and same amount of composted chicken manure in each of my 8x4 raised beds every year. I’m pretty sure the compost process and the cow’s liver would make it a negligible issue! I also add homemade compost and bone meal and till it in. I use blood meal and an organic 5-5-5 fertilizer in my planting holes. I get peppers over my 6 ft fence with tons of fruit in zone 6! Basically what I’m saying is it works and poop is organic! Best of luck in the garden!

Folks, don't assume cow manure is different from steer manure as it relates to e-coli and antibiotics. All cattle shed e-coli in their manure and dairy cows get antibiotics also. As far as composting, Kellog's (parent Co of Gardener's) told me that they compost to 130 degrees yet e-coli in meat survives to 160 degrees. They ignored me when I asked about the discrepancy. Having said that, I still use manure (bag) freely in my garden.