Farm Yard Manure (FYM)

• It is the decomposed mixture of dung and urine of farm animals along with the litter (bedding materials) and left over material from roughages or fodder fed to the cattle.
• Using bedding materials is very important because it soaks up and holds urine as well as increases the amount of manure. Solid and liquid portion of manure contains varying amounts of nutrients.

Factors affecting the composition of FYM

• Source of manure: Sheep & poultry manures are richer than cow, pig & horse manures.
• Food of the animal: the richer the food in proteins, the richer will be the manure.
• Function of the animal: Animals producing milk & wool absorb more nutrients from their food than do those animals that are working or at rest. Thus, manure obtained from milking cows will be of poor quality as compare to animals that are at rest.
• Age & condition of the animals: the manure obtained from young, healthy animals is of poor quality as compared to these which are mature or sick.
• Storage of manure: Well protected manure from sunlight, rain or any other factors is richer in nutrients.
• Nature of the litter: Leguminous litter is richer in N as compare to cereals litters (wheat, rice, maize, jowar etc).

For all the other factors remaining the same, the quality of FYM will be affected by the way it is prepared, stored and applied.

Reasons for small proportions of this potential manure:

• Large proportion of cattle excrement is dropped outside the cattle shed when the animals are grazing on the uncultivated land.
• Dung is dried into dung cakes & they are burnt as fuel.
• No proper decomposition or fermentation of the manure.
• Leaching during the rains and drying during hot months in pits or heaps lead to the loss of nutrients.