Every cattle producer knows that one key “byproduct” from a cattle operation is manure. But are you aware that the appearance of manure in the pasture can provide a great deal of information about the animals, the quality of pastures and forages, as well as overall nutrition and health? The cows’ feces provide valuable insights, especially rumen function and diet balance. By observing manure consistency, texture and appearance, you can assess the quality of forages, how well the cow is digesting these forges and feed, and whether the nutrition program is effective.
Factors manure appearance can reveal include:
- Rumen health and function: Manure consistency reflects how well the rumen microbes are breaking down forages, feed and supplements. For example, very loose, watery manure may indicate very low dry matter/high-protein forages (i.e., lush ryegrass), or it can indicate rumen upset or acidosis, depending on the diet. Very firm manure may suggest excessive fiber, low protein or low water intake.
- Diet balance: The presence of undigested feed particles (like corn kernels) in manure can indicate imbalances in protein, carbohydrate and fiber degradability in the diet.
- Feed utilization efficiency: Manure scoring (on a scale from 1 to 5) helps evaluate whether the diet is optimized for overall digestibility and nutrient absorption. Ideal manure is firm but not too wet or too dry, indicating good fiber digestion and rumen function.
- Health issues: Variations in manure consistency across a herd can signal health problems, infections or dietary stressors like heat stress or sudden diet changes. In young calves, very thin, watery manure (scours) can indicate a bacterial infection, which can lead to dehydration and serious health conditions. This is not to be confused with thin manure that comes from the young calf being on a diet of milk for the first few weeks of its life.
Manure scoring scale
Manure is scored on a scale from 1 to 5.
- Score 1: The manure is very liquid, with a cream soup consistency and possible gray color. The rumen isn’t functioning correctly, and what’s passing through is largely water. This can also be an indication of acidosis and rumen upset, depending on the diet. If severe enough, blood may also be detected in the rumen. This is more commonly seen in feedlot diets. This often indicates excessive starch in the diet or a poorly adapted rumen. It can also be indicative of a high internal parasite load. It is also very common to see a very thin, watery manure when cattle are turned onto fresh, lush winter and spring pastures, such as ryegrass or wheat. These forages are very high in water (low in dry matter). The dry matter portion is also very high in protein in many cases. This thin, loose manure can indicate a problem if the consistency does not change after the cattle have been on these pastures for a period of time.
- Score 2: Manure doesn’t stack up properly. The manure pat is usually less than 1-inch thick and relatively runny or nearly liquid-like, but not as liquid as a Score 1. The color will generally be a greenish or the normal manure brown, typically experienced when forages are lush in the spring. If cattle are being fed a grain mix of some type, it could mean excessive feed intake relative to forage consumption.
- Score 3: This is the ideal manure score to aim for year-round in your cow herd. It has a normal manure pat form with a “divot” in the center and will be relatively firm and retain its shape. This indicates good rumen health and a balanced diet.
- Score 4: The manure pat is thick and becomes more profound, yet it is not stacking significantly. Rumen is not balanced for protein, carbohydrates and fiber degradability. It tends to happen when corn is added to the diet, and you’ll see undigested corn particles in the manure. It can indicate a decrease in protein in the diet, and the rumen is struggling to properly digest the fiber in the diet. It can also indicate the overall quality of forage is decreasing.
- Score 5: The manure is very firm and stacks over 2 to 3 inches or higher. It can also resemble horse manure in look because a significant amount of undigested fiber has passed through the rumen. The manure can be broken open, and the fiber can be observed. This is often indicative of poor hay quality, excessive maturity and low digestibility. It also may indicate low protein level in the diet.
How does the producer respond to different manure scores?
When reading manure, a wide variation in scores may be noted. It is common to see two or three different scores, since cattle have different grazing or consumption patterns. If the cows are being supplemented with a grain mix, you may have some aggressive eaters consuming more than the target amount. Conversely, there may be some that are more timid and eat very little. As a result, the manure from these different cows will appear different. It is important to look for the “average” across the herd and base judgements on this.
So how does the producer respond to different manure scores?
- Score 1: Unless a group of cows has been just turned out on fresh ryegrass, wheat, etc., it’s not common to see this widespread within the group. If a few individual Score 1 manure splatters are found, look for the individual animal or animals that may have a lot of wet manure residue around their back end or that you visibly see defecating very liquid manure. These animals may need to be separated and treated with an antibiotic or certainly have their diet changed. If on the lush pasture, as mentioned, providing access to high-quality grass hay will help “slow things down a bit.” Feeding a few pounds of a grain mix can also be helpful.
- Score 2: This is not as much of an issue as Score 1, but it does need some attention. Check grazing and hay quality. Make sure that cattle are not overconsuming supplements.
- Score 3: This is optimal. Continue to watch for changes.
- Score 4: You may need to fine-tune either hay quality or increase protein supplementation to improve fiber digestion.
- Score 5: Improve protein supplementation or change supplementation types. Liquid feed can be useful in these situations as it is high in soluble protein, readily available to the rumen microbial population. Check water intake, particularly in areas where drought may have lowered stock tank levels significantly or quality has deteriorated. Check hay and forage quality.
Conclusions
Manure reading, while not very glamorous, is an important part of cattle management and is an important tool. Like most other things, practice will provide good insight into what is or is not working with the grazing, feeding and management program.
