RE: Nutrient content of hamster, rat & mouse manure?

Kenneth J. Eck (keneck@psci.net)
Mon, 7 Jun 1999 08:16:48 -0500

My recommendation would be to have the manures professionally tested at a reliable laboratory. Here in the Mid-West, livestock production (i.e. hogs, cattle, poultry) is quite common and "standards" or "averages" for manure nutrient content exist, but actual nutrient makeup may deviate severely due to individual diets, how manure was retrieved and stored, whether the animal's water supply burst (dilutions), whether the feeders had a hole in it (concentration), etc. We recommend testing every couple of loads if the source is believed to be fairly uniform and stable; more frequently if makeup is expected to change.

For your samples I'd recommend the same. If this isn't feasible, just test at least once to at least get a ballpark idea of what your grower is dealing with. NMSU should have a specialist in their ag. department that should be able to provide a list quality labs that your ag. school considers reliable.

Kenneth Eck
Soil & Water Conservation Specialist
Purdue Agronomy Department

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From: Nathan/Rachna Boone
Sent: Sunday, June 06, 1999 10:38 AM
To: sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: Nutrient content of hamster, rat & mouse manure?

Dear sanet,

I'm working with a garlic grower in Southern New Mexico that is
using manure from hamsters, gerbils, rats and mice. We'd like to know if
anyone has ever tested this type of manure to determine its nutrient
makeup?

Thanks,

Nathan Boone
Agricultural Consultant

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