Basic 6 · Our World and Our People · Plants and Animals
The Importance of Animal Waste to Plants
In this topic you will explain how animal waste (manure) improves soil and helps plants to grow.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Identify types of animal waste used as manure
- Explain how manure helps plants and soil
- Compare manure with chemical fertiliser
What you already know
- What plants need (Science)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- All Around Us
- Sub-strand
- Plants and Animals
- Indicator
- B6.2.2.1.1 – Explain the importance of animal waste to plants
Introduction
Farmers in northern Ghana keep cattle, goats and fowls. Their droppings are not just waste; they are valuable food for crops. This is why many farmers call animal waste "black gold".
1. Types of Animal Waste
| Manure | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| poultry droppings | chickens, ducks, guinea fowls | very rich in nutrients; use carefully |
| cow dung | cattle | common in the north; good for soil structure |
| goat and sheep droppings | goats, sheep | small pellets, rich and easy to spread |
| pig manure | pigs | rich, but must be well composted |
| rabbit droppings | rabbits | good for gardens |
2. How Manure Helps Plants
| Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
| adds nutrients | supplies nitrogen (N) for leaves, phosphorus (P) for roots and potassium (K) for fruits |
| improves soil structure | makes soil loose so roots grow and air enters |
| holds water | helps sandy soil keep moisture |
| feeds soil organisms | earthworms and microbes that make soil fertile |
| releases nutrients slowly | feeds plants over a long time |
3. Manure and Chemical Fertiliser
| Feature | Animal manure | Chemical fertiliser |
|---|---|---|
| source | animals | factories |
| cost | cheap or free | expensive |
| nutrients | many, released slowly | specific, released quickly |
| soil structure | improves it | does not improve it |
| effect on environment | safe when used well | can pollute water if overused |
4. Mixed Farming
In mixed farming, farmers keep animals and grow crops together. Animals provide manure for the crops, and crop residues (maize stalks, groundnut leaves) feed the animals. This cycle saves money and keeps the soil fertile.
Using manure is also a way of recycling. Waste that could pollute the environment if dumped becomes a resource that feeds crops. Urban gardeners in Accra and Kumasi buy poultry droppings from farms to grow vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage and garden eggs.
Manure must still be handled carefully, as explained in the next topic, to avoid spreading germs, and fresh droppings should be composted before they are used on vegetables that people eat raw.
New words
- manure
- Animal waste used to fertilise soil.
- nutrient
- A substance plants need to grow.
- soil structure
- How soil particles are arranged.
- fertiliser
- A substance added to soil to supply nutrients.
- mixed farming
- Keeping animals and growing crops together.
- microbes
- Very small living things in the soil.
Summary
- Poultry droppings, cow dung and goat droppings are common manures.
- Manure adds nutrients, improves soil and holds water.
- Manure is cheaper and improves soil better than chemical fertiliser.
- Mixed farming links animals and crops in a useful cycle.
Class activity: Manure Experiment
- Plant maize in two pots: one with ordinary soil and one with soil mixed with well-rotted manure.
- Water both equally.
- Measure and compare growth every three days for two weeks.
You need: Sealed mature compost sample, Potted maize plant, Hand trowel, Disposable gloves
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which is animal manure?
- A. Cow dung
- B. Plastic
- C. Sand
- D. Stones
Show answer
Answer: Cow dungFrom cattle.2. Nitrogen helps plants grow healthy…
- A. leaves
- B. stones
- C. plastic
- D. metal
Show answer
Answer: leavesN for leaves.3. Keeping animals and crops together is…
- A. mixed farming
- B. galamsey
- C. bush burning
- D. fishing
Show answer
Answer: mixed farmingUseful cycle.4. Manure improves soil structure.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueMakes soil loose.5. Chemical fertiliser is always better than manure.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseManure improves soil and is cheaper.6. Animal waste used to fertilise soil is ______.
Show answer
Answer: manure"Black gold".7. State three benefits of animal manure.
Show answer
Answer: Adds nutrients, improves soil structure, holds water.Any three.8. Explain how mixed farming helps both crops and animals.
Show answer
Answer: Animals give manure for crops, and crop residues feed animals, saving money and keeping soil fertile.Cycle.
Homework
- Find out which animal manure farmers in your area use and why.