Horse apples
In horse droppings (also Ross dumplings or Low German space Pferdeäppel , in Baden Ross Bolle (s) .) Is the excrement of horses . The name comes from the fact that the size and shape of the individual manure balls are reminiscent of an apple .
properties
Horses apples every 30 to 120 minutes, whereby - depending on the feeding - they can give up up to 50 kilograms of horse droppings (draft horses) per day. The largest amount is produced by horses in the pasture, the lowest production is produced by horses fed with oats and standing in the stable. Compared to the manure of other animals, horse droppings smell very little. As can be seen in the picture, some of the undigested components of the typical herbivore food are still found in the excrement . Under the light microscope you can easily see individual plant fibers.
The color of horse droppings depends largely on the food the animals eat. Green, soft horse droppings come from animals that feed on fresh, green food, while yellow-light brown apples come from animals that are fed on straw , hay and oats .
The typical apple shape is produced in the rectum . In the intestinal wall there are bulbous pockets (pouches) that are interrupted by firm, narrow muscle strips ( tänien ). If the tänien contract, they tie off balls of feces.
use
Horse droppings are used by many insects such as butterflies, flies, dung beetles , moonhorn beetles , etc. as food ( coprophagia ) or breeding ground for the larvae . Fresh horse droppings are sometimes eaten by dogs . However, there is a risk that parasites - or their larvae or eggs - and harmful bacteria will be transmitted in this way.
Horse manure and horse manure are popular fertilizers , especially among amateur gardeners . For some ornamental plants such as B. Roses and orchids , horse droppings are ideal as nutrients because of the high content of minerals and cellulose . It is also known to be used for planting strawberries. Horse manure is considered "hot", an expression for the fact that when it decomposes, a particularly large amount of heat is released compared to the manure of other animals. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for cold frames .
In the days of horse-drawn carts, many people collected horse droppings from the streets to use as fertilizer in their own gardens. One thinks of the figure of "Blume'peter mit sein'm Rossbolle'kärrele", especially in the Mannheim area. Today horse manure is given away from riding and breeding stables. In addition to horse manure, it also contains more or less urine- soaked straw (the litter ), which also contributes to the development of heat and fertilization. Mention should be made of the slower release of plant nutrients compared to mineral fertilizers or liquid manure , which reduces the risk of over-fertilization and undesirable pollution of the groundwater. The cellulose components contribute to the formation of humus . Like other manure, horse manure can be used in organic farming . It contains fewer nitrogen compounds than the excrement of protein-rich animals, which is why the nitrate pollution of the environment and the harmful formation of nitrite may be less. a. Less given in not fresh leafy vegetables or in the human intestine.
In some tree-poor plains, such as Mongolia , horse droppings were or are of considerable economic importance, since they are used as heating material when dried and are valued for their smoke-free combustion. Breeding mushrooms are cultivated in controlled culture rooms on fermented horse manure. Horse droppings can also be used to generate biogas. Horse manure is also used as an aggregate for building earth , but is clearly inferior to cow manure.
Horse droppings are used in medicinal treatments because of their high terpene content .
diagnosis
The digestive system of horses is prone to failure, which is why horse owners check their horses' apples for abnormalities. If the consistency is too runny, there is a disorder in the colon . Apples that are too hard can be an indication of colic . Especially with horses that are kept outdoors, fresh apples must be checked regularly for "hardness", appearance and parasites . Horses usually apply apples to a certain area of their pasture ( hot spot ), this makes it easier to check their health.
Horse diaper
Horse droppings can be dangerous in traffic and pollute streets and squares. In Vienna and other cities with a cab ( Fiaker ), bags are hung under the horses to catch the droppings. These are officially called "excrement bags", but in popular parlance and unofficial usage they are called "horse diapers".
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Tobias Pokorny: Disposal options for horse manure: Modern ways of treating manure . Publishing house Dr. Müller, 2008. ISBN 978-3639018707 .
- ↑ James Edward Knott, Oscar A. Lorenz, Donald N. Maynard: Knott's Handbook for Vegetable Growers . 2nd edition, John Wiley and Sons, 1980. ISBN 978-0471053224 . P. 75f.
- ↑ Biogas from horse droppings on energiezukunft.eu, accessed on January 18, 2017.