Cow dung is one of the most important materials of the Panchagavya. It is the fecal matter of bovine species. Cow dung is basically the digested residue of the herbivorous bacteria that resides within the animal's rumen. The cow dung is rich in mineral material. The color is from greenish to blackish. In course of time the cow-dung turns to yellow due to the chemical changes caused by the sunlight.

The cow dung is used as a fuel and fertilizer most regularly in India. Cow dung is also used as manure. The cow dung cake is made which is used as fuel. In the earthen house cow dung is used to line the floor and wall of the building because of its insect repellent properties. In cold places cow dung is used to line the walls of the rustic houses, as it is cheap and have a thermal insulation property. Cow dung is an excellent mosquito repellent and it is used by many companies to produce repellants. It is also used extensively on Indian railways to seal smoke boxes on steam locomotives.

In Ayurveda the cowdung has many beneficial role. In Indian tradition cowdung is used in different religious ceremony as the purifying agent.