In some cultures, cow dung burning was used to mask the odor of a decomposing body. It was customary to keep dead bodies in the kitchen hut before burial, and women mourners would act as watch guards behind an open door. The elders would then burn dry dung to neutralize the smell.
Additionally, cattle manure can burn for a long time and produce enough thermal energy for the pottery industry.
In Shona societies, beer is fermented in pots placed on a mound of old manure, which generates heat through decomposition. This heat is necessary for the fermentation process.
