Manure is the by-product of livestock and poultry production. It includes the urine, feces, bedding materials, wasted feed, and sometimes wash water from livestock operations. The value of manure in crop production is often underestimated. In Ontario livestock generate over 25 million tonnes of manure annually.
Manure contains all the nutrients needed by crops, but not necessarily in the proportions needed for specific soil and crop conditions. Manure and other organic amendments are nutrient-rich and contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as well as secondary nutrients such as calcium and sulphur and micronutrients that include magnesium, zinc, manganese, and boron. Manure is considered an organic fertilizer and is a source of carbon and organic matter that is beneficial for maintaining or improving soil health.
Organic amendment is a term that includes manure but may also include other materials derived from living organisms, including cover crops (green manures), composted materials, anaerobic digestate and other non-agriculture sourced materials (NASM) including products such as food processing waste and sewage biosolids. Organic amendments can also include registered fertilizer products that are derived from organic sources (e.g., biosolids pellets)