Here is an unpopular opinion: Cow dung has many uses. The United Kingdom recently announced the release of the New Holland T7, the world’s first cow-dung-powered tractor. It runs purely on methane liquid meant to decrease the release of carbon emissions. Turns out, Mzansi farmers also have a few different uses for cow dung…
Contrary to popular belief, cow dung is quite a valuable resource in local agriculture, based on Food For Mzansi interviews with a few farmers.
Farmers mainly use it as a natural fertiliser because of the richness of its content, namely nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium – all important for plant growth. Furthermore, cow dung is good for soil improvement and increases fertility among animals.
“We’ve decided to take cow dung to clean the kraal and then use it also for the field, says Vukile Mlotshwa, a crop and livestock farmer from Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal. “During planting time, you just scatter it around in the field. Then the field will benefit because it brings organic matter which is good for the plants.
Water retention capabilities
Mlotshwa says although it is good for the soil, it does take a while for it to break down after it has been scattered. Among the cow dung benefits he discovered, is its ability to improve water retention in soil. It helps to hold moisture which can be beneficial in dry regions or during periods of drought.
Cow dung can also be used as a source of fuel. In many rural areas of South Africa, it is used as a primary source of fuel for cooking and heating, adds Mlotshwa. Some cattle herders in his area use it to make fire to cook their meals and keep themselves warm.
“The good thing is that it lasts long because it dries up and becomes the same as charcoal. They use it a lot like that,” he explains.
Herders have also used it with great success at their homes to plaster floors, both inside and outside, and it works great on walls too, often adding a natural green colour. “It’s a house decoration,” says Mlotshwa, laughing.
The ‘best fertiliser’
Alakhe Langa from the Abalimi Bezekhaya Farm describes cow dung as the strongest fertiliser and the best choice for her crop farm in the Eastern Cape. She tells Food For Mzansi that coming from a family of farmers in rural areas, she first learnt to use cow dung at a young age.
“As long as you have it, then you are able to tend to your crops nicely because it lasts long on the field. The crops grow well. I noticed that when I use fertiliser I just have to keep adding and adding it to the crop, but if I use cow dung, I don’t have [to do that].”
Sometimes Langa adds it to water, leaving it to ferment for seven days. “And then I come back and use it and feed the plants with it and this method works as well.”
From baking bread to relieving constipation
She adds that some people in the Eastern Cape also use cow dung to make fire, especially to bake bread due to its long-lasting nature as an energy source. “We bake such wonderful bread from the fire we get after burning the cow dung.”
Also, cow dung is used as a laxative to help bring relief to those with constipation. “Sometimes when a person is constipated, we prepare it for them with a small amount mixed with water and they drink it, and they get relief.”
Disadvantages of cow dung
While many Mzansi farmers get lyrical about the many uses of cow dung, there are several disadvantages. It releases methane gas – a greenhouse gas that does more damage than carbon dioxide. This automatically leads to air pollution which influences climate change.
Mohamed Moola from KwaJustice Livestock Farm in Durban, says despite the benefits, the odour can be overwhelming and long-lasting. “The odour is quite bad, and the greenhouse gases that are emitted from using it are also bad,” he explains.
KwaZulu-Natal livestock farmer Khotso Molefe discovered that cow dung also sometimes brings invasive weeds to the farm.
“We would not advise farmers to use cow dung because the cattle eat different plants and that causes weeds. We suggest that farmers use chicken and pig dung because they have a good source of nitrogen and phosphorus,” he says.
Inventions with cow dung
Cow dung has been used for various purposes for centuries, and people have come up with many creative uses for it. A quick Google search reveals a few inventions:
- Biogas: One of the most common uses for cow dung is to generate biogas through a process called anaerobic digestion. Biogas is a renewable source of energy that can be used for cooking, lighting, and generating electricity.
- Bricks: Cow dung can be mixed with soil and straw to make low-cost building bricks. These bricks are not only eco-friendly but also have good insulation properties.
- Paper: Cow dung can be used to make paper. The dung is mixed with water, boiled, and then beaten to a pulp. This pulp can then be used to make paper and even cardboard
- Cosmetics: Cow dung is used in some cultures as a traditional medicine and is used to make beauty products like soap and cream.
- Water purification: Cow dung can be used in water purification systems, particularly in rural areas where access to clean water is limited.
- Insect repellent: Cow dung ash can be mixed with neem oil or other oils to create an insect repellent that is effective against a variety of bugs, including mosquitoes.
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