The disposal of animal
waste can be a real problem, and dog faeces one of the most difficult to
deal with.
Many people bag it
and put it into the garbage, which can be very unpleasant (to put it mildly,
especially in hot weather!) and is ecologically unsound. In fact, several
local Councils now forbid this practice, and more are to follow. Some people
bury it in the garden, some take it to the tip, many have tried one of the
septic or inground chemical systems, with indifferent long-term success.
Whatever the method,
almost everyone is confronted with unpleasant work, cost, smell and health
hazards in getting rid of their dogs daily output. Not to mention the environmental
risks.
Its the one aspect
of owning and breeding dogs we all like the least, and one that can easily
bring the dog world into disrepute if not handled responsibly.
What do YOU do with
YOUR dog poo?
COMPOST WORMS TO
THE RESCUE!
All these problems
can be addressed simply, efficiently and cost-effectively by the use of
the humble compost worm. Compost worms, as distinct from the common earthworm,
eat and digest decaying organic matter of either animal or vegetable origin.
Of about 3000 species of earthworm world wide, only a handful are specialists
at the job of converting waste to compost.
The most common of
these are Red Worms and Tiger Worms. They consume half or more of their
own weight each day in a combination of food (manure, kitchen waste, etc)
and moisture, converting it into worm castings or vermicompost. At the same
time, they are breeding. Under good conditions, compost worms can double
in number in about 60 days.
Compost worm waste
disposal (more accurately called recycling) systems are in use worldwide
in homes, zoos, piggeries, on farms, ships and animal breeding establishments
of all kinds. They are actively promoted by Municipal Councils throughout
Australia. At Bookworm Farm, we believe that the most effective and economical
method of utilising compost worms to recycle dog waste is by means of a
timber bin (actually a large box), made for the purpose. We hand make these
bins ourselves from treated pine. The widely available multi-stage plastic
"worm farms" are not suitable for this process.
HOW IT WORKS
The worms are installed
at the bottom, and the droppings are added daily from the top. As the level
rises, the worms steadily work their way up the stack, breeding as they
go. This means that the efficiency of the system develops over the months
as the worms increase in numbers. Most of your kitchen waste can, and should,
also be fed to the worms (they do not like citrus, onions, or garlic). The
bin should be situated in the maximum possible shade. Compost worms need
cool, moist conditions to survive and thrive. The regular addition of some
horse or cow manure is beneficial to the process. Naturally, you should
not include dog droppings the day after worming, although daily heartworm
treatment (DEC) is not a concern. When the bin is almost full, it is time
to remove some of the worm castings, from the base, via the door in the
front. Push the stack down to fill the space and this process continues
indefinitely.
BOOKWORM FARM
treated pine bins should last for fifteen or more years.
BOOKWORM FARM
bins are available in two sizes. Some breeders with more than one kennel
area have placed a small bin near each rather than have one larger central
bin, saving the time and effort of carrying the waste any distance. Compost
worm recycling systems are the most natural, cost-effective, efficient,
labour-saving, and ecologically ideal answer to our dog waste dilemma.
BOOKWORM FARM
make the best compost worm-recycling systems.
AND they cost
less than the price of a pet puppy, or about the same as 3 bags of
super premium dog food!
