Carbon, ash and organic matter relationships for feedlot manures and composts

Abstract

Composting is increasingly recognized as a means of handling livestock manure. Using relationships derived from a dataset of >3000 samples representing the decay spectrum from raw manure to mature compost (from unpaved feedlot pens bedded with straw or wood residuals) we propose that measurement of either total carbon or ash content is sufficient to estimate carbon, organic matter and dry matter mass changes during composting of beef feedlot manure. Key words: Compost, carbon, ash content, feedlot manure