Why does manure make such good fertilizer?
A Quick guess would be that it contains the elements contained in the food that was just eaten.
Need some?
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Well, this is sure a shit question!
:: fleeing ::
Yer pal,
Satan
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In general, only aged manure ought to be used as fertilizer. While it rots, the bacteria temporarily locks up nutrients so they will be unavailable to plants.
Contrary to popular belief, feces themselves are not particularly rich in nitrogen. Most nitrogen excreted by animals is in the urine, which generally goes to the same place and gets mixed with the feces. Care should be taken to prevent the nitrogenous waste from evaporating. Manure should not be spread on a hot dry day for this reason.
Another important constituent of manure is the organic content (lignin, etc.), which helps the soil to hold its water and makes the mineral nutrients more available to the plant roots. Cows can digest cellulose but the associated lignin passes through.