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Story: Topdressing

Organic manure

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Organic manure

No doubt the first manure applied to gardens or pastures came from animals. On dairy farms, cow manure accumulates in yards and sheds, and the most efficient means of applying it to pasture was by irrigation or as slurry. This slurry wagon from days gone by is spreading manure onto pasture.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AANR 6329 DA32,548

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

John Maber, Topdressing – Fertilisers and spreading methods, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/16544/organic-manure (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by John Maber, published 1 March 2009.