Why do we use cow manure in so many things but other animals’ poop (i.e. cats and dogs) are considered to be toxic?
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Cows (and horses) produce huge quantities of poop compared with other animals, especially compared with predator species. They are a much more efficient source of potential fertilizer.
Cows tend to be kept together in large numbers, and those groups are eating a common diet. So the huge volume of poop from that herd source is usually fairly consistent in content. Much easier to convert by volume processes to fertilizer or some other use with a commercially consistent product.
And cows convert plants into poop, much better than meat-sourced poop for fertilizer for more plants.
Predators (cats & dogs) don’t produce much poop per body weight compared with grazing herbivores. They have a much more efficient digestive system; takes in less, produces less. A St. Bernard’s daily offering may look impressive, but it is nothing compared with the poop production from even a small cow.
And in this day & age cats & dogs are usually pets and live individually in homes, and are not kept in large groups. They eat different diets in their different homes.
So cats and dogs are not good sources of large volumes of consistent poop for commercial processing.
(The exception I can think of for large groups of cats or dogs kept together would be adverse situations like puppy mills and hoarders).
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