Livestock Manure as compost??

[LAJgardener]

So we have a pile out back from cleaning out stalls and pens. It is from horses, cows, and goats' manure. Also hay. We add to it regularly. My question is, could we use it as compost in our garden for next year? The section we would use is about 4 years old. I've heard about doing this, but I wanted more advice and experiences with it. Thanks!

 

[Meadowlark]

The answer is yes. It is great stuff for gardens.

Experiences...been doing it for many years.

Just be sure that no herbicides were used on growing the hay...the residue can be very detrimental to your garden.

 

[PGB1]

When I was a kid, it was deemed by those in command that I was to "do penance" on a horse farm. Across the road was where we (I) spread the manure. In fall, those acres had the most beautiful pumpkins I'd ever seen. Too huge to lift!

My uncle worked for a pharmaceutical company. They had hundreds & hundreds of chickens for whatever evil purposes. My uncle would use the droppings to fertilize his gardens. Wow! Beautiful flowers, the happiest of trees and garlic the size of softballs. (But my parents wisely wouldn't let us eat any vegetables grown with pharma-poop.)

Those events convinced me that manure is great for compost. But, I did learn that the manure has to be from vegan animals to prevent disease.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Yes, I have access to a similar pile of horse manure, tomatoes especially love it.

Just be sure that no herbicides were used on growing the hay

To check for this you can use the bean test. Germinate a bean in a pot of the manure/hay, if it keels over don't use it, if it grows tall and strong you are fine.
Test the manure as well as the hay, there are herbicides used on grass that can go straight through a digestive system and they tend to be used on 'safe' grass grown for animals meant for meat, as they don't end up in the meat.