Old Manure May Yield Fewer Bugs

New research sponsored by the Lake Champlain Basin Program suggests that manure storage may help reduce bacteria levels in agricultural runoff.

Researchers in Vermont found that storing manure for 30 days reduced the number of E. coli bacteria in runoff from experimental plots by 97 percent compared to fresh manure, and storage for 90 days reduced bacteria counts by 99 percent. Other factors, including vegetation height, field tillage, and the timing of manure spreading with respect to rainfall, had a significant but less pronounced effect. http://www.lcbp.org/casin/spring2005.pdf