Benefits of Vermicompost, Uses of Cow Dung, and Preparation Process in Detail

Vermicompost is formed when earthworms ingest organic matter and aerobically decompose it at room temperature with the help of microorganisms. Vermicomposting, often known as worm composting, creates a rich organic soil supplement that is full of beneficial microbes and a variety of plant nutrients. This recycling process transforms organic waste elements that were previously thought of as rubbish into beneficial biofertilizer for plants and crops. Vermicompost^[1] improves soil and drainage while increasing the number of nutrients available to plants. Additionally, Vermicompost has been demonstrated to promote plant development while reducing diseases in plants and pest-insect attacks.

Vermicomposting is mostly used for waste management applications at various scales. A home vermicomposting system must have an aerated container, sufficient moist bedding, cow dung, and thousands of red worms. In this article, we will throw light on the preparation process and other necessary details regarding Vermicompost.

Vermicompost: An Introduction

Fast food culture is widespread nowadays, yet some health-conscious consumers choose to eat chemical-free foods, especially those that include vegetables, fruits, meats, and milk. Instead of fertilisers, they frequently utilise cow dung manure for their crops. Due to the increased demand for cow dung, some farms now raise cows solely for the purpose of producing manure. When given an Organic Tag, even organically produced milk, poultry, and veggies sell for much more prices! Because it includes higher levels of salts and ammonia, which can burn plant roots, raw cow dung should not be applied directly to plants. The method of composting must be used to turn the excrement into manure, and when it is accomplished with the help of earthworms, it is referred to as Vermicompost. Earthworms help in speeding up the procedure.

The Green Revolution, which produced big crops to feed the world’s expanding population, was distinguished by the use of chemical fertilisers in addition to high-yielding seed types. Although it was urgently needed, it also had drawbacks. Because of the negative consequences of synthetic chemicals, organic farming grew more and more popular as people became more health conscious. Organic farming is a modern-day technique of farming that emphasises companion planting and crop rotation and uses organic fertilisers, including green manure, cow dung, and bone meal. It is a production method that fosters the health of soils, ecosystems, and humans.

Use of Cow Dung

Cow dung, also known as cow manure, is primarily digested grass, along with some grains, fruits, and/or vegetables, depending on the diet of cattle. It contains remnants of the straw, hay, bedding, grains, and other organic materials used to feed the animals, so it’s not just cow faeces. Cow manure is full of nutrients and good for growing plants. Its 3-2-1 NPK composition—3% nitrogen, 2% phosphorus, and 1% potassium—makes it the ideal fertiliser for practically all varieties of plants and crops. It is due to the fact that it naturally restores nutritional balance to fields. 

Cow dung is sometimes used along with worm castings for Vermicompost. Many horticulturists believe that both cow and worm castings are one of the best soil supplements on the market. Worms frequently consume extremely nutritious things, such as food scraps and manures, which determine the nutrient content of the castings. In contrast, cow dung offers a range of nutrients that support plant growth in a form that is simple for plants to absorb. The structure of cow dung promotes the development of bacteria and fungi that are advantageous to plant growth. Additionally, castings include a variety of chemical elements that are thought to encourage plant growth. Typically, cow manure has the following components, among others:

• Macroelements: N, P, and K. Nitrogen control the protein content of plants; phosphorus affects how fruit, seeds, and flowers are produced; and potassium affects how quickly plants will grow and how water is regulated.
• Micro-elements like carbon and iron
• Magnesium, carbon, and sulphur are secondary elements that are essential for a plant’s cells to function.

Cow manure also contains a lot of water, which makes it simple for this fertiliser to maintain the temperature and pH of the soil. It has a positive effect on plant root development as well as the overall bioactivity in the soil.

What is Vermicompost?

Using earthworms to create enriched compost is known as Vermicomposting. It is one of the known and precise ways to create high-quality compost from agricultural waste. Earthworms eat biomass and discharge it as worm castings, which are digested remains. Worm casts are often referred to as “Black Gold.” The castings have qualities that restrict harmful bacteria and are rich in nutrients, chemicals that promote growth, and good soil microflora. Vermicompost is stable, fine-grained organic manure that enhances the physical, chemical, and biological qualities of soil. It is very beneficial for growing crops and for nurturing seedlings. Vermicompost is increasing in popularity as a key element of an organic farming system.

Animal manure, kitchen trash, farm waste, and forest litter are all examples of decomposable organic waste that are frequently utilised as composting ingredients. The essential components are mainly dried and chopped crop and animal waste, usually cow dung. The quality of Vermicompost is enhanced by the mixture of green manure and non-leguminous crop leftovers.

Key Benefits

• Biological Properties of Soil: As eco-biological engineers, earthworms change the characteristics of pesticide-contaminated soil and recover it by introducing minerals and bacterial enrichments. Nutrient cycling is significantly influenced by vermiculture, which also increases crop disease and fungal resistance to disease. Vermicomposting over an extended period increases soil health while drastically reducing the supply and reliance on harmful pesticides. Regardless of the fact that the nutritional value of Vermicompost might vary depending on the type of biowaste that is used, it usually has a greater nutrient profile than ordinary compost.

• Profitability: Vermicompost can be equally beneficial for the producer and the customer while also fostering social responsibility. It has been demonstrated that this compost has a greater benefit ratio, better net earnings, and reasonable financial stability. Additionally, it can improve plant growth and farming growth and production efficiency. Vermicompost also lessens and ultimately eliminates the need for chemical fertilisers, including some that continue to become more expensive. Chemical fertilisers are now more expensive everywhere due to rising worldwide demand.

• Environmental and Social Protection: Due to the lack of access to nutritious meals, approximately 820 million people worldwide suffer from malnutrition presently. Due to the use of chemical fertilisers, millions of increased individuals in developing nations experience acute poisoning, with many of them dying as a result. As a consequence, it is crucial to stop using too many artificial fertilisers in the food production process. Recycling trash is one of the numerous environmental advantages of vermicomposting. Urban areas currently produce about 1.3 billion tonnes of garbage annually; by 2025, it is expected to increase to 2.200 billion tonnes annually due to population growth and increased consumption. Most of these wastes are redirected and reused in the creation of vermicompost as earthworms consume agricultural, paper, animal, domestic, urban, industrial, and other types of waste.

Process of Making Cow Dung Vermicompost

Overall agricultural input costs are increasing, including the cost of seed, fertiliser, paid labour, and pesticides. Farmers must therefore turn to alternatives to lessen these. Instead of using the alternatives, we must deal with the natural system or the age-old practice of our forefathers. For instance, the creation of organic fertilisers, organic pesticides, and natural insect repellents. Mentioned below is the step-by-step process of making cow dung Vermicompost. 

• Required Material: Cow dung, crop residues, resort garbage, leaf litter, biodegradable portions of urban and rural debris, manure from agro-industries, and domestic vegetable waste can all be used to make natural nutrition fertiliser. Cow dung must be at least 20 days old. Despite the fact that earthworms come in a wide variety, reddish earthworms are the most effective for composting. The District Agricultural Extension Center sells soil worms, but we can also breed the earthworms we require.

• Preparation Process: Vermicomposting is done in three stages, starting with the bed and moving on to a pit system and tank system. Make a bed out of cow manure and other trash on the floor. Earthworm manure can be produced in significant amounts by this procedure. The pit must be filled with cow dung and other waste products from the fodder field while using the pit method. However, the cavity could not have enough ventilation. The price is high. For middle-class gardeners and farmers, the tank system is the most effective.

• Vermicompost in a Plastic Tank: Use a plastic tank with 500 to 600 litres of capacity. If you own a plastic container at home, you may also utilise the same. Add cow dung, chopped green manure, and dried leaves in a ratio of 3:1. Leave this mixture for at least 20 days. Then finely slice the leaves and the green leaves into 15 to 20cm. Cow manure and other trash should be added on top in the same quantity. Place 500 to 1000 earthworms in the top layer, then spray out the cold water once the earthworm has been added. Make sure to dampen these inner layers with cold water to keep them productive. The earthworm will be ready in 50 days. To create effective earthworm manure, place the plastic tank in cold and damp regions.

• Producing Earthworms: To produce more earthworms in the soil, a mixture of 10 kg of dung and 2 kg of jaggery in a favourable humid environment. Then pour this mixture into the soil. The earthworm will slowly be developed if the water is sprayed for ten days. For the creation of Vermicompost, worms such as the African earthworm, red worms, and composting worms are utilized. 

• Harvesting Earthworm: In the tank, the raw material entirely breaks down and transforms into granular and black matter. Watering should be discontinued if the compost is ready. Use strong light to keep the Vermicompost heap downward so that earthworms can easily migrate to cow dung from the compost. After two days, you can separate the compost and prepare it ready for usage.

• Vermicompost Dose System: The size of the Vermicompost doses varies on the type of crops. 2-3 tonnes per hectare for crops used for agriculture. Fruit trees might consume anywhere between 5 and 1 kg per tree, according to the age of the tree. For developing seedlings and growing plants use 400 to 500gm; one tonne per hectare is recommended for vegetable plants. Use between 750 and 1000 tonnes per hectare for flowering plants.

Here are a few Tips and Tricks

Here are some must-know tips and tricks for anyone who is preparing Vermicompost at home- 

• Using a small hand rake, gently loosen the contents of your bin from time to time to let air into the container. By doing this, you can keep your compost bin odour-free and provide your worms access to fresh air (which, oddly enough, worms breathe through the skin!).

• Because the heat from the sun might dry up your worms’ vital skin, keep your bin away from direct sunlight. The ideal places for them tend to be dim locations like basements or garages.

• Put your trash can in the warmest part of your basement or garage during the colder months. Keep your mattress at a high height for additional protection from harsh temperatures.

• Every time, feed the worms somewhere new in the container. By doing this, the worm population is kept from being overly localized in one area.

• Ammonia odour indicates anaerobic decomposition is occurring in the trash can. It suggests that the atmosphere is excessively moist, and the soil may be saturated, which might cause your worms to die. At this point, draining the bottom bin, adding fresh, clean bedding, and mixing the contents of the bin to add more oxygen are all wise actions.

Conclusion

Composting cow dung Vermicompost yields high-quality fertilizer for practically all plant kinds and is a practical approach to handling animal waste. Cow faeces must be stored and managed carefully since improper decomposition can damage the environment and your crops. A composting strategy that allows you to oversee the entire process from start to end is necessary to reduce dangers. It is quick and simple to gather cow dung and generate biogas at the same time using anaerobic digestion. If you want to buy Vermicompost fertilizer from SwadeshiVIP, you can order it, and we will deliver the same on special demand. Besides this, we also deliver pure and naturally obtained A2 Gir and Sahiwal cow milk, A2 Paneer, A2 Khoya, A2 Organic Ghee, etc.

Read our Article: Cow Dung Diya: A Vedic Mix of Innovation and Tradition