Hogfuel in Compost

Below is a question that I get quite regularly.

Dear Manure Maiden,

I have a question about paddock footing. Is it okay for pieces of hogfuel to end up in my compost pile, or do I need to separate the hogfuel from the manure before I compost?

Foiled by footing

Hogfuel, paddock footing consisting of chunks of wood, can be put into your compost pile. Keep in mind, however, that it is unlikely that it will break down very well if at all.

Hogfuel is a wood product and is therefore a carbon source for your compost. Horse manure compost often has too much carbon in it from the bedding we use and the paddock footing. If you are going to have small amount of hogfuel end up in your pile from paddock pickings, it is important to ensure that you balance the carbon nitrogen ratio so in this case you will need to make sure you are adding extra nitrogen sources to your compost pile to help break down the extra carbon.

Extra nitrogen sources can include kitchen scraps or yard trimmings.

Even if your hogfuel does not break down completely in your pile, this is not necessarily a bad thing. If you plan to use your compost on your pasture and your pasture needs to build some soil structure (most of them do) then it is not a bad thing to add this "texture" to your fields. While I would not recommend spreading old hogfuel directly on your pastures, the small amount that is interspersed in your compost will not harm the pasture and in fact will provide a medium that will promote good root structure in your grasses.

Basically you will need to decide what you want your compost to look like. If you want something that resembles dark, potting soil, then you may want to consider removing the hogfuel. If you don't mind a bit of texture then leave it in.

For more information on compost management, in particular, the carbon nitrogen ratio, check out our resources page and download the Compost Management Guide.

The Manure Maiden