The low temperature catalytic gasification of pig compost before and after acid washing was carried out to produce H-2 rich gas using a two-stage fixed-bed reactor. Little effect of the minerals on the manure pyrolysis is determined. Under the presence of Ni/Al2O3 catalyst nearly all the tarry matters were cracked into H-2, CO, CO2 and residual carbon. High H-2 and CO yields were obtained by low temperature catalytic steam gasification. Acid washing results in the decrease in the content of the ease-hydrolyzed organic components, which volatilize at low temperature. The change in the gas yields from the manure during catalytic decomposition is in accordance with its pyrolysis behavior. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.