Improvement of Physical Condition of Soil with Cattle Slurry Fertilization—Mechanical Strength and Water-stability of Soil Aggregates

Abstract

We investigated the strength of air-dried mixtures of sand and cattle slurry using unconfined compression and slaking tests, and obtained the following results :1.The sand and cattle slurry mixtures hardened when dried. 2. A significant correlation was found between unconfined compression strength and mixed slurry concentration. 3. Air-dried samples showed waterstability. 4. The unconfined compression strength of re-wetted samples (moisture content about 300 gkg-1) was less than that of air-dried samples. These results show that the organic matter in cattle slurry facilitates aggregation.