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Owatonna Minnesota

We have 3 llamas and now we are boarding them here on our farm.Some say we can work it right in and others say to compost.They have to be wormed w/ivermectin every so many weeks for the meningel worm.Any input is appreciated.TIA Rod

1/26/2012 7:27:42 PM

Williamsburg,KY

I would compost the llama manure.

1/27/2012 8:14:19 AM

Greenfield, Mass

There are advantages to doing it both ways. If you were to just till it in; the manure would compost in the soil. During this process it would make some heat and warm the soil. Also the microbes would use a good deal of the available nitrogen, locking it away from the plant for a time. That could be a good thing as I've read too much N is bad for an AG. Though, once the fermentation finishes the nitrogen levels would be quite high.
If you compost before adding it: you can use the manure's high nitrogen to carbon ratio to quickly compost other materials if mixed in the same heap. It's easy to get a hot compost pile going with lots of poop, which will kill weed seeds (if present). You will eliminate the possibility of burning your plants with "hot" manure (though I don't know how hot llama poo is). The nitrogen levels will be higher when added and will not fluctuate as much. Also you can have more control of the compost's pH before adding. Compost gets more acidic as it finishes, this is harder to control in the ground.

I don't know anything about the worming med, but I wouldn't think it would be a problem with a non food crop. Also it would likely break down if it was in a hot heap.

1/27/2012 9:40:28 AM

Taylorsville, California

Llama manure is a "cold" manure, doesn't need to be composted before use. My family has had llamas for years, very good stuff

1/27/2012 12:35:37 PM

Ocean springs, mississippi

I have 15 Alpaca's and use there manure fresh in the garden (Nitrogen is very low (<2%). Only issue would be parasites. However, for pumpkins with +90 day growing time parasites will be long dead before harvest time.

1/29/2012 12:59:24 PM