Better check what he fed them.

https://extension.umd.edu/learn/gardener-alert-beware-herbicide-contaminated-compost-and-manure

Not quite free but close enough! I agree on checking with the guy to see if he knows anything about how their feed hay is grown. Also, beware that the fresh stuff may have a lot of undigested weed seeds in it. Unlike cattle, horse's are not ruminants and the digestive system is not as efficient and weed seeds often pass thru intact.

I got plenty of rabbit berries for this years garden. I am going to pile up the horse manure and let it compost until next spring...it should be done by then! All the seeds and or herbicides (if any) should be burnt up by then.

Assuming that you compost the fresh manure & the pile heats up, yes, there will be a reduction in weed seed. However, herbicides (if any) may not be destroyed. Some of the compost in Dan's link was well aged, but still caused symptoms when applied to a vegetable garden.

You ought to read up on "persistent herbicides". They're called "persistent" for a reason. Half lives can be on the order of 1-2 years for Clopyralid and Aminopyralids in an active compost pile. That is, it's HALF gone in a few years. And it takes very little to kill plants. Some states don't even allow its use. You may be lucky enough to live in one. http://compostingcouncil.org/persistent-herbicides/

Persistent herbicide in animal manure is a pretty major international gardening scandal these days. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/jun/29/food.agriculture

Agree with all the above. Given the increasing prevalence of herbicide damage to gardens from manures, composts and mulches you may want to re-think keeping your rabbits just for the safe product they provide.

Dave

Greetings:

I collect free horse manure from a stable and have used it in my vegetable garden for years. Where I go, the stable piles it into 4 piles (fresh, 1 year old, 2year old and 3 year old). I always take from the oldest pile. I find the exterior of the pile will be full of weeds growing (and dropping their seeds). Usually I skim off the top layer and dig away deeper into the pile.

I have not had issues with herbicide in the manure that I am aware of. We know a lot of stables around here as my daughter is an active horse rider and jumper. I doubt any stable would buy feed laced contaminated with herbicide. Horses and vet bills are not cheap so high quality hay from very specific local sources is purchased. I have no fear of herbicides in the horse manure I get from stables I know.

My big gripe is that years ago, straw was used for bedding. The straw broke down with the manure relatively fast. Now all the stables went to wood chips as cheaper than straw for bedding. The chips take at least 3 years and sometimes longer to break down.

I find the horse manure works wonders for loosening up my very heavy clay soil. I can't say I have seen much difference in the crops as far as nitrogen is concerned. Some years I only get enough manure to spread over 1/2 the garden and I never noticed one side growing greener crops than the other.

I just had my spring garden wiped out by persistent herbicide carryover from cow manure that was composted for over a year. I understand that you are talking about horse manure, but as LoneJack mentioned cows have a much stronger digestive system, and they eat the same hay.

The horse, or stable owners would never know its there, and it the horses wouldn't show any ill effects. The owners would actually really like the weed free hay. The fact is, 99% of hay farmers have their pastures sprayed with broadleaf herbicide.

I'm not telling you what to do, I just don't want to see pics of your garden next spring with herbicide damage, wishing that I said something. Trust me, its no fun losing over 100 plants that you started from seed. Then you get to figure out how to fix what was an organic garden plot. I will never buy manure again (or take it for free), unless it's from a certified organic farm.

By the way, the manure I bought looked and smelled great, and the cattle rancher even told me ALL about his repeat happy customers...

I hope it works out better for you if you decide to use it, do your homework.

You can actually do your own bioassay to test for herbicides in manure. See here ... http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/sfn/wtr11Aminopyralid

Pretty much comes down to trying it out with some susceptible plants. Better find out before you've got too may truckloads of the stuff. Of course, if it's bad, you can just Craigslist it!

Well I brought the first of many loads home. The gentleman I am getting this from is a farrier and horse trainer. He owns around 300-acres and raises the hay himself. He "assures" me that his hay fields are rotated between pasture and hay. He reseeds every 5 +/- years and has never uses herbicide spray for his pastures / hay fields. We will see. Like I said this is for next years garden. I will put some in a pot and plant something later this year. If it works out...hey I am good. If the plant doesn't do so well...I will spread it in my old goat pasture. Maybe it will kill some weeds for me.

Here is the first truck load. It was very hot in the middle of the pile. This is the fresh - 1 year old stuff. He had 3-year old stuff there that was black as night...

Also thanks for all the input. I do appreciate everyone's opinion. You can't be to careful anymore. I remember as a kid I would muck out the barns and my dad wouldn't think twice about using manure on the garden...but then again 30 - 40 years ago we didn't have all the chemicals as we do today. At least we didn't use them on our little patch of dirt...

Well, it sounds like you have the history of this stuff scoped out, and it seems good. Best of luck with your manure for gardening. We tend to hear a lot these days from people who get compost or manure from anonymous sources , and that manure or compost seems to kill everything they plant in it. As you say, can't be too careful.

I got a 2nd load last night after work. It is a lot fresher than the first. I am giddy over this find. My wife thinks I am nuts. My supplier said I can have all the free manure I want for as long as I want...he makes it everyday. I think it is pretty cool having ny very own "poop guy"...

I sold my breeding rabbits last night now that I have other means for compost / manure. So my barn is now empty of animals...the laying hens have their own coop & run. I am thinking meat chickens would fill the void up nicely, plus they are only an 8 - 10 week project instead of everyday with the rabbits.