The Challenge Facing the Horse Industry Fact 1 Manure includes both the solid and liquid portions of waste. Horse manure is about 60% solids and 40% urine. Fact 2: One 450 Kilo (1000 lbs.) horse produces about 31 pounds of feces and 2.4 gallons of urine daily, which totals around 51 pounds of total raw waste per day in feces and urine. Fact 3: Soiled bedding removed with the manure during stall cleaning may account for another 8 to 15 pounds per day of waste. This results in about 12 tons of waste a year per horse. Fact 4: One 450 Kilo horse produces enough waste annually to fill a 3.5 x3.5 metre stall to a depth of 2 metres. Current Horse Manure Disposal Methods 1. Composting This is a method of disposal that has some merit as it reuses the waste for potting soil. High land costs limit available sites to perform composting without adversely impacting neighbours. It should always remain an acceptable, however limited, disposal method. 2. Spreading on Land Option This practice seems acceptable for blueberry fields and some other crops, but has not yet achieved widespread acceptance and use. Agriculture BC is examining the long-term ramifications of this practice carefully, and they are leaning towards controlling it or perhaps even curtailing it altogether. Dilution of soils by the addition of sawdust is the major concern. 3. Stockpiling This is the practice of many smaller farms because they can’t afford storage bins for pickup and don’t generate enough manure to make pickup attractive to the haulers. This method is causing the most concern in the Fraser Valley because of its adverse affect on aquifers and properties and because it generates odor concerns. 4. Landfill Dumping This method is used only when no other option is available. Transportation and landfill tipping costs are increasing significantly. Many landfills are not accepting manure as this interferes with the anaerobic decomposition if not applied properly.