Cow Dung

Cow Dung is the waste product (faces) of bovine animal species. These species include cattle, buffalo, bison, yak, and water buffalo. The undigested residue of feeds is passed through the animals' digestive systems. Cow dung, usually a dark brown, is often used as excellent manure (agricultural fertilizer). Cow dung compost is a fertilizer produced by rotting cow dung and waste in an anaerobic or aerobic way in the ground. Cow dung harbors a diverse group of microorganisms that may benefit humans due to their ability to produce a range of metabolites. Being a mixture of feces and urine in the ratio of 3:1, it mainly consists of lignin, cellulose, and hemicelluloses. It makes an excellent growing medium for garden plants. If not recycled into the soil by species such as earthworms and dung beetles, cow dung can dry out and remain on pasture.

Cow dung, the excreta of a bovine animal, is a cheap and readily available bioresource on our planet. Although many farmers use cow dung as organic fertilizer, traditionally, landless families in villages use cow dung as fuel for cooking purposes by direct burning. It is also used in plastering walls and floors in rural houses to provide insulation during winter and summer. [Quazi M Emdadul Haque]