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Introduction: Cattle slurry used as fertilizer in crop production is a mix of feces, urine, water, and bedding material from the housing system. Previous studies have shown that slurry nitrogen (N) availability to crops is dependent onC/Nratio. As the bedding material can contribute a significant part of total slurry carbon (C), its characteristics may affect the C/N ratio of the slurry. There is increasing interest in using the solid fraction from mechanical slurry separation as bedding material, and therefore this study investigated the potential effect of this fraction on slurry N availability, compared with more commonly used bedding materials such as straw and sawdust. Methods: In two parallel 28-day laboratory incubations, net mineral N release and Cmineralization fromslurries applied to sandy loam soil weremeasured. The slurries comprised a liquid fraction (LF) from mechanical cattle slurry separation with a screw-press and different added bedding materials. Liquid fraction was mixed with two types of bedding material, solid slurry fraction (SF) and chopped straw, in different proportions, resulting in C/N ratios of 10, 12, and 14 in the slurry. In additional treatments, two other bedding materials, ground straw and sawdust, with slurry C/N ratio 12, were used. Results: For SF and chopped straw, similar negative linear correlations were seen between slurry C/N ratio and net mineral N release after 28 days. Carbon mineralization, expressed as a percentage of total C added, was higher from the mixture containing SF than that containing straw, while no clear relationship with C/N ratio was found. At slurry C/N ratio 12, net release of mineral N was 28-39% of total N and decreased in the order: sawdust>chopped straw=SF=ground straw. Net C mineralization at the same slurry C/N ratio was 33-46% and decreased in the order: SF=ground straw>chopped straw>sawdust. Discussion: For bedding materials with similar fiber composition (i.e., SF and straw), differences in C availability due to particle size or degree of degradation by microorganisms did not influence slurry N availability measurably. For sawdust, with high lignin content, the results indicate that limited C availability may lead to lower slurry N immobilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different bedding materials on both production performance and foot quality, assessed through the incidence, severity, and microbiological quality of foot pad dermatitis (FPD). A total of 2400 Ross 308 chickens were raised over 42 days, distributed across eight bedding material types (eight groups × four treatments × 75 chickens each). These pellets either lacked medicinal plant components or included 30% of plant parts, such as oregano (Origanum vulgare), summer savory (Satureja hortensis), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), salvia (Salvia officinalis), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Production performance controls included body weight (BW) at 42 days of age, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality. The severity of FPD was evaluated at 28, 35, and 42 days using a scale ranging from S0 to S3. A microbiological analysis of the feet was based on the FPD score. Broilers raised on straw chaff (bedding: 24% oregano and 6% summer savory, 18% oregano and 12% summer savory, and 24% oregano and 6% thyme) exhibited the highest BW. Straw chaff-reared broilers demonstrated the lowest FCR. The highest mortality occurred on 18% oregano and 12% summer savory bedding, which may have been caused by the high share of summer savory, which could be toxic. At 35 and 42 days, broilers in the 24% oregano and 6% summer savory group exhibited the best foot quality, while those on straw chaff and 18% oregano and 12% summer savory had the worst one. The influence of medicinal plants in the pellets was particularly notable in reducing Listeria sp. This reduction was likely due to the presence of carvacrol from summer savory, quercetin from lemon balm, and thymol from thyme. Based on our research, the best bedding materials for foot quality are 24% oregano with 6% summer savory and 18% summer savory with 12% salvia, while 18% summer savory with 12% lemon balm and 18% summer savory with 12% thymus were the most effective in limiting Listeria sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides the results of the use of dried Origanum vulgare mass as an additional component of bedding material in chickens of the Hubbard Redbro M meat-and-egg cross. Origanum vulgare dried mass was added at the rate of 0.5 kg per experimental group daily from the age of 45 days after the transfer of chickens to floor management. The number of heads for each group was 35. The live weight advantage at the age of 2 months of the experimental group of chickens over the control group is 102.5 g, at 75 days of age is 216.5 g, at 90 days of age is 326.0 g and at the age of 105 days is 403.0 g. The SBA increased at the background of the S. aureus test culture: there was a significant suppression of colonies in the first five hours of exposure, and at the background of the E. coli test culture there was a suppression throughout the entire study period. The intensification of metabolic processes was noted in chickens of the experimental group, due to increased protein metabolism, liver and kidney enzymes of blood serum, which was also associated with an increased concentration of thyroid hormones. All these factors made it possible to raise significantly the gain in live weight by an average of 0.11 kg, which increased the slaughter weight by 8.4 %. Almost all indicators of the development of internal organs in chickens of group II are within significant limits of the difference compared with the control group.

The cost of dairy manure treatment and bedding material purchase increases the operating cost of the dairy farm. Membrane-covered aerobic fermentation system has been widely used for dealing with dairy manure and recycling the final product as bedding material. However, the microbial safety in each processing step is still uncertain. To better understand the bacterial community dynamics during the whole bedding conversion process, a full-chain and large-scale experiment including 16-day membrane-covered aerobic fermentation and 11-day bedding material application was conducted. The results showed that the pile temperatures in the fermentation stage rapidly increased to 80°C and maintained >50°C for more than 11 days and the use of fermentation product as bedding material provided cows with a stable and comfortable bedding environment. The Chao1 and Shannon index decreased at the end of the fermentation stage and remained stable in the application stage, indicating that membrane-covered aerobic fermentation effectively killed some pathogenic bacteria and guaranteed both the maturity and stability of the final product. The dominant bacteria in the fermentation stage were Acinetobacter, Thermus, and Rhodothermus at genus level. Seven common potential pathogens of mastitis (Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Serratia, Pseudomonas, Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, and Bacillus) were found at the end of fermentation stage but the relative abundance was low (0.0025%-0.2727%). The dominant bacteria in the application stage mainly included Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Flavobacterium at the genus level. The relative abundance of Pseudomonas increased in the application stage, which was a reminder to the dairy farm to pay attention to the disinfection and timely replacement of bedding material to prevent the occurrence of dairy mastitis. The results of this study contributed deep understanding of the microorganism-driven bedding conversion process and provide practical guidance and cautions for the bedding materials application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionCattle slurry used as fertilizer in crop production is a mix of feces, urine, water, and bedding material from the housing system. Previous studies have shown that slurry nitrogen (N) availability to crops is dependent on C/N ratio. As the bedding material can contribute a significant part of total slurry carbon (C), its characteristics may affect the C/N ratio of the slurry. There is increasing interest in using the solid fraction from mechanical slurry separation as bedding material, and therefore this study investigated the potential effect of this fraction on slurry N availability, compared with more commonly used bedding materials such as straw and sawdust.MethodsIn two parallel 28-day laboratory incubations, net mineral N release and C mineralization from slurries applied to sandy loam soil were measured. The slurries comprised a liquid fraction (LF) from mechanical cattle slurry separation with a screw-press and different added bedding materials. Liquid fraction was mixed with two types of bedding material, solid slurry fraction (SF) and chopped straw, in different proportions, resulting in C/N ratios of 10, 12, and 14 in the slurry. In additional treatments, two other bedding materials, ground straw and sawdust, with slurry C/N ratio 12, were used.ResultsFor SF and chopped straw, similar negative linear correlations were seen between slurry C/N ratio and net mineral N release after 28 days. Carbon mineralization, expressed as a percentage of total C added, was higher from the mixture containing SF than that containing straw, while no clear relationship with C/N ratio was found. At slurry C/N ratio 12, net release of mineral N was 28–39% of total N and decreased in the order: sawdust>chopped straw=SF=ground straw. Net C mineralization at the same slurry C/N ratio was 33–46% and decreased in the order: SF=ground straw>chopped straw>sawdust.DiscussionFor bedding materials with similar fiber composition (i.e., SF and straw), differences in C availability due to particle size or degree of degradation by microorganisms did not influence slurry N availability measurably. For sawdust, with high lignin content, the results indicate that limited C availability may lead to lower slurry N immobilization.

Cage-free (CF) layer houses tend to have high particulate matter (PM) levels because of bedding/litter floor and the birds’ activities, such as perching, dustbathing, and foraging on it. It has been reported that optimizing bedding management can potentially suppress PM levels in CF houses. The objectives of this study were to (1) test the effect of the top application of new bedding materials (BMs) on PM levels and (2) compare different BM PM reduction efficiencies. Small flake shavings (SFS), large flake shavings (LFS), and aspen wood chips (AWC) were top-dressed on the surface of the original litter (33-week-old litter) evenly in each of the BM treatment rooms at 20% volume of the original litter floor. The initial litter depths in the control, SFS, LFS, and AWC rooms were 4.6 ± 0.6, 4.8 ± 0.8 cm, 4.8 ± 0.8 cm, and 4.6 ± 0.9 cm, respectively. One room was used as a control without adding new BM. The results indicate that the top application of new bedding suppressed PM levels in all treatment rooms (p < 0.01). The PM2.5 reductions in the SFS, AWC, and LFS treatment rooms were 36.5%, 34.6%, and 28.9% greater than in the control room, respectively. The mitigation efficiencies were different between PM sizes. For instance, PM2.5, PM10, and TSP in the SFS room were lower than in the control room by 36.5%, 39.4%, and 38.7%, respectively. For litter quality, the moisture content was 18.0 ± 2.8, 20.0 ± 3.1, 20.6 ± 2.4, and 19.7 ± 4.2% in the control, SFS, LFS, and AWC rooms, respectively. Treatment rooms with 20% new BM had 10% higher litter moisture than the control room. The findings of this study reveal that the top application of new bedding on old litter is a potential strategy for reducing PM generation in CF houses. Further studies are warranted, such as regarding the effect of different ratios of new bedding on PM reduction, cost analysis, and verification tests in commercial CF houses.

Cage-free (CF) layer houses tend to have high particulate matter (PM) levels because of bedding/litter floor and the birds' activities, such as perching, dustbathing, and foraging on it. It has been reported that optimizing bedding management can potentially suppress PM levels in CF houses. The objectives of this study were to (1) test the effect of the top application of new bedding materials (BMs) on PM levels and (2) compare different BM PM reduction efficiencies. Small flake shavings (SFS), large flake shavings (LFS), and aspen wood chips (AWC) were top-dressed on the surface of the original litter (33-week-old litter) evenly in each of the BM treatment rooms at 20% volume of the original litter floor. The initial litter depths in the control, SFS, LFS, and AWC rooms were 4.6 ± 0.6, 4.8 ± 0.8 cm, 4.8 ± 0.8 cm, and 4.6 ± 0.9 cm, respectively. One room was used as a control without adding new BM. The results indicate that the top application of new bedding suppressed PM levels in all treatment rooms (p < 0.01). The PM2.5 reductions in the SFS, AWC, and LFS treatment rooms were 36.5%, 34.6%, and 28.9% greater than in the control room, respectively. The mitigation efficiencies were different between PM sizes. For instance, PM2.5, PM10, and TSP in the SFS room were lower than in the control room by 36.5%, 39.4%, and 38.7%, respectively. For litter quality, the moisture content was 18.0 ± 2.8, 20.0 ± 3.1, 20.6 ± 2.4, and 19.7 ± 4.2% in the control, SFS, LFS, and AWC rooms, respectively. Treatment rooms with 20% new BM had 10% higher litter moisture than the control room. The findings of this study reveal that the top application of new bedding on old litter is a potential strategy for reducing PM generation in CF houses. Further studies are warranted, such as regarding the effect of different ratios of new bedding on PM reduction, cost analysis, and verification tests in commercial CF houses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Bedding materials are important for suckling buffalo calves. Treated dung has been used as a bedding material for dairy cows but the lack of an appropriate safety assessment limits its application. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of treated dung (TD) as a bedding material for suckling calves by comparing TD with rice husk (RH) and rice straw (RS) bedding materials. The TD was prepared through high-temperature composting by Bacillus subtilis. Thirty-three newborn suckling buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis, 40.06 ± 5.79 kg) were randomly divided into 3 bedding material groups (TD, RH, and RS) and bedded with 1 of the 3 bedding materials for 60 d. We compared cost, moisture content, bacterial counts, and microbial composition of the 3 bedding materials, and investigated growth performance, health status, behavior, rumen fermentation, and blood parameters of bedded calves. The results showed that TD contained the fewest gram-negative bacteria and coliforms on d 1 and 30 and the lowest relative abundance of Staphylococcus throughout the experiment. The RH and TD bedding materials had the lowest cost. Calves in the TD and RS groups showed a higher dry matter intake, and final body weight and average daily gain in the TD and RS groups tended to be higher than in the RH group. Calves in the TD and RS groups had a lower disease incidence (diarrhea and fever), fewer antibiotic treatments, and lower fecal score than calves in the RH group. Higher contents of IgG, IgA, and IgM were observed in calves of the TD and RS groups than in calves of the RH group on d 10, indicating higher immune ability in TD and RS groups. Furthermore, TD bedding increased the butyric acid content in the calf's rumen, whereas RS bedding increased the acetate content, which might be attributed to the longer time and higher frequency of eating bedding material in the RS group. Considering all of the above indicators, we concluded that TD is the optimal bedding material for calves based on economics, bacterial count, microbial diversity, growth performance, and health status. Our findings provide a valuable reference for bedding material choice and calf farming.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different bedding materials on both production performance and foot quality, assessed through the incidence, severity, and microbiological quality of foot pad dermatitis (FPD). A total of 2400 Ross 308 chickens were raised over 42 days, distributed across eight bedding material types (eight groups × four treatments × 75 chickens each). These pellets either lacked medicinal plant components or included 30% of plant parts, such as oregano (Origanum vulgare), summer savory (Satureja hortensis), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), salvia (Salvia officinalis), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Production performance controls included body weight (BW) at 42 days of age, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality. The severity of FPD was evaluated at 28, 35, and 42 days using a scale ranging from S0 to S3. A microbiological analysis of the feet was based on the FPD score. Broilers raised on straw chaff (bedding: 24% oregano and 6% summer savory, 18% oregano and 12% summer savory, and 24% oregano and 6% thyme) exhibited the highest BW. Straw chaff-reared broilers demonstrated the lowest FCR. The highest mortality occurred on 18% oregano and 12% summer savory bedding, which may have been caused by the high share of summer savory, which could be toxic. At 35 and 42 days, broilers in the 24% oregano and 6% summer savory group exhibited the best foot quality, while those on straw chaff and 18% oregano and 12% summer savory had the worst one. The influence of medicinal plants in the pellets was particularly notable in reducing Listeria sp. This reduction was likely due to the presence of carvacrol from summer savory, quercetin from lemon balm, and thymol from thyme. Based on our research, the best bedding materials for foot quality are 24% oregano with 6% summer savory and 18% summer savory with 12% salvia, while 18% summer savory with 12% lemon balm and 18% summer savory with 12% thymus were the most effective in limiting Listeria sp.

Digestate is the material remaining after the anaerobic digestion of a biodegradable feedstock. The use of digestate as a bedding material is analyzed marginally. The aim of the paper is to monitor the change of the solid phase of digestate due to the action of radiant heat and, based on the results, determine the options of using the solid phase of the digestate for bedding material. Experimental determination of the digestate ignition temperature was carried out according to EN 50281-2-1 (1998) by a hotplate device. Different amounts of samples (3, 5, and 10 g) on the course of thermal degradation were monitored. The results showed higher temperatures of thermal degradation in samples of additionally dried digestate, where these processes were observed earlier in terms of time. Samples of 3 and 10 g of digestate are not suitable as bedding material due to the fire safety of the material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Various materials are used for bedding in dairy cow cubicle barns, including straw, sawdust, peat, sand, mats, separated manure, and others. The use of each of these materials requires different financial and labor inputs. Straw is the most commonly used material, characterized by high content of dry matter and the ability to absorb water and gases. A satisfactory bedding material should exhibit a strong physical structure and water absorption capacity to ensure optimal hygienic conditions. The quality of a bedding material deteriorates in direct proportion to the increase in moisture caused by the accumulation of urine and the simultaneous decrease in dry matter. An increase in bedding moisture, temperature, and C/N ratio can promote the growth of bacterial colonies. A sufficient drying capacity and an appropriate pH, which can help to effectively inhibit bacteria, viruses, and fungi, should be ensured when searching for the ideal bedding material. Straw obtained after biogas production can offer an alternative solution for farmers struggling with a shortage of bedding materials. This study aimed to compare the biomass obtained via the biogasification of straw with the classic bedding material, wheat straw. It was divided into two stages. In the first stage, a laboratory evaluation of the bedding materials was carried out, taking into account dry matter, pH, and water absorption. In the laboratory tests, the bedding obtained after the biogasification of straw (Verbio) showed better sorptive properties, with a value of 439.86% (wheat straw's value was 294.10%), and its pH value was higher than that of wheat straw. In the second stage of the experiment, field tests were carried out on a production farm, wherein the bedding was evaluated for bedding hygiene, animal hygiene, insulation properties, animal productivity, and microbiological properties. A microbiological assessment was also performed. Regarding cleanliness and production parameters and thermographic insulation properties, the two types of bedding did not show statistically significant differences. In terms of microbiological parameters, a higher number of all examined types of bacteria and fungi was observed in the Verbio bedding compared with straw, but these differences were not statistically significant, except in the case of total coliform. The results indicate that straw obtained after gasification is a suitable bedding material, with parameters similar to those of wheat straw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Different bedding materials have important effects on the growth, performance, lying behavior and animal welfare of buffaloes. In this study, we investigated the effects of two bedding materials on lying behavior, production performance and animal welfare of dairy buffaloes. Our results indicated that FMB (fermented manure bedding) promoted the performance and welfare of buffaloes. The results showed that the application of FMB improved the lying behavior of buffaloes, the average daily lying time (ADLT) of buffaloes in FMB increased by 58 min compared to those in CB and the average daily standing time (ADST) decreased by 30 min. The results indicated that the average daily milk yield of buffaloes in FMB increased by 5.78% compared to buffaloes in CB. The results showed that the application of FMB improved the welfare of buffaloes. In summary, the application of FMB has significantly modified the lying behavior, production performance and welfare of buffaloes and significantly reduced the cost of bedding material. Different bedding materials have important effects on the behavioristics, production performance and welfare of buffalo. This study aimed to compare the effects of two bedding materials on lying behavior, production performance and animal welfare of dairy buffaloes. More than 40 multiparous lactating buffaloes were randomly divided into two groups, which were raised on fermented manure bedding (FMB) and chaff bedding (CB). The results showed that the application of FMB improved the lying behavior of buffaloes, the average daily lying time (ADLT) of buffaloes in FMB increased by 58 min compared to those in CB, with a significant difference (p < 0.05); the average daily standing time (ADST) decreased by 30 min, with a significant difference (p < 0.05); and the buffalo comfort index (BCI) increased, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). The average daily milk yield of buffaloes in FMB increased by 5.78% compared to buffaloes in CB. The application of FMB improved the hygiene of buffaloes. The locomotion score and hock lesion score were not significantly different between the two groups and all buffaloes did not show moderate and severe lameness. The price of FMB was calculated to be 46% of CB, which greatly reduced the cost of bedding material. In summary, FMB has significantly improved the lying behavior, production performance and welfare of buffaloes and significantly reduce the cost of bedding material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Hemp hurd is the inner bark of the plant's stem and is typically seen as waste. The objective of this experiment was to describe the physical characteristics, such as moisture, water absorption, and ammonia absorption of ten hemp varieties (Fibranova, Codimono, USO31, CS, Futura 75, Eletta Campana, Carmaleonte, Felina 32, Santhica, and Ferimon) cultivated in Italy to be used for livestock bedding. The samples were hemp shives, obtained from hemp hurds ground to 8 mm. The results showed an average of 7.78%, 251.9%, and 50.0% for moisture, water absorption, and ammonia absorption, respectively. Moisture and water absorption were similar among varieties. A significant difference between varieties was found for the ammonia absorption, varying from 45.0 to 55.5% for the Fibranova and Ferimon, respectively. In conclusion, hemp shives have good physical characteristics, similar to other commercial bedding materials (i.e., wood shavings) but other parameters and on-farm trials will be required to make a full assessment of hemp. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) hurds, the inner bark of the stem, are a poorly appreciated part of the plant that typically represents waste. The aim of this experiment was to describe the physical characteristics, including moisture (M), water absorption (WA), and ammonia absorption (AA), of 10 hemp varieties (Fibranova, Codimono, USO31, CS, Futura 75, Eletta Campana, Carmaleonte, Felina 32, Santhica, and Ferimon) cultivated in Italy. Samples of hemp hurds were ground to 8 mm obtaining hemp shives. Values of M, WA, and AA were determined following the official procedures. The results showed an average of 7.78%, 251.9%, and 50.0% for M, WA, and AA, respectively. Data of M and WA were similar among varieties, whereas a significant difference was found for the AA, varying from 45.0 to 55.5% for the Fibranova and Ferimon varieties, respectively. In conclusion, hemp shives have good physical characteristics, similar to other commercial bedding materials (i.e., wood shavings) but other parameters and on-farm trials will be required to make a full assessment of hemp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The rapid development of the farming industry has increased the amount of manure produced by livestock and poultry, causing increasingly prominent environmental pollution problems. In recent years, due to the increase in conventional bedding material costs, an increasing number of farmers choose to use harmless recycled manure as bedding. Manure bedding treatment of farms can not only solve the problem of manure pollution, but also resource utilization of manure and cost savings. Methods: This study compared the effects of five microbial agents ( Microbial agents A, B, C, E, F) on buffalo manure bedding treatment by testing the temperature, moisture content, pH, microbial bacteria distribution of buffalo manure ectopic fermentation, and screened the lowest cost and most effective agent. The changes of microbial bacteria distribution in different periods of bedding treatment were also detected. Results: Agent A was eliminated because of poor fermentation effect and low fermentation temperature, which could not achieve the effect of harmless treatment. The other four agents of bacteria achieved a harmless effect, but the bedding treatment effect of agent F was significantly better than agent E, B, and C. In terms of the cost of agents: the cost of agent F required for fermenting 100m3 buffalo manure was the lowest, 1000yuan, followed by E (1200yuan), C (1750yuan), and B (1980yuan). In the process of ectopic fermentation bedding treatment of buffalo manure, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Chloroflexi were the major bacteria used. The process was divided into three periods; the heating period - high temperature period - cooling period, the high temperature period could reach more than 75°C, and a large number of pathogenic bacteria and harmful bacteria, and other miscellaneous bacteria in the pile were degraded, their species diversity was reduced, and the structure of bacterial flora had significant differences in different treatment periods. In conclusion, this study has provided a guide for the resource utilization of manure in cattle farms and the reduction of manure pollution to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Domestic pigs have an evolutionary conserved exploratory behaviour. To comply with this requirement, the European Union aims at setting standards for appropriate enrichment materials for pigs (Council Directive 2008/120/EC). As recommended characteristics include ‘chewable’ and ‘edible’, pigs might also consume these materials (Commission Recommendation (EU) 2016/336), which are often additionally advertised to enhance lying comfort and hygienic conditions in stables. To date, a wide range of bedding, enrichment and disinfectant materials is available on the market to ensure environmental enrichment, a dry, hygienic environment or lying comfort. Previous studies revealed considerable amounts of undesirable substances in some of these materials possibly being a risk for food safety considering oral uptake by the animal. To determine interest and indicators for consumption of different types of materials by pigs during exploratory behaviour, a camera-assisted observational study with 12 female pigs (German Landrace) was conducted. We tested their preference for a disinfectant powder, peat, biochar and straw as reference material in a 4 × 6 factorial arrangement. Results Pigs manipulated and consumed all offered materials. However, longest manipulation time per pig was observed for biochar (63 min/day) and peat (50 min/day) (p

Objective Bedding materials directly contact hooves of dairy cows and they may serve as environmental sources of lameness-associated pathogen. However, the specific composition of bacteria hidden in bedding materials is still not clear. The aim of this study was to determine the effect bedding material and its bacterial composition has on lameness of Holstein heifers. Methods Forty-eight Holstein heifers with similar body weights were randomly assigned into three groups including sand bedding (SB), concrete floor (CF), and compost bedding (CB). Hock injuries severity and gait performance of dairy cows were scored individually once a week. Blood samples were collected at the end of the experiment and bedding material samples were collected once a week for Illumina sequencing. Results The CF increased visible hock injuries severity and serum biomarkers of joint damage in comparison to SB and CB groups. Besides, Illumina sequencing and analysis showed that the bacterial community of CB samples had higher similarity to that of SB samples than CF samples. Bacteria in three bedding materials were dominated by gastrointestinal bacteria and organic matter-degrading bacteria, such as Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and norank JG30-KF-cM45. Lameness-associated Spirochaetaceae and Treponeme were only detected in SB and CB samples with a very low relative abundance (0% to 0.08%). Conclusion The bacterial communities differed among bedding materials. However, the treponemes pathogens involved in the pathogenesis of lameness may not be a part of microbiota in bedding materials of dairy cows.

The aim of this study was to investigate the physical characteristics of three litter materials, namely pine shavings (PS), bio-secure, fumigated pine shavings (BS) and sunflower hulls (SH) and its influence on broiler performance over a 33-day production cycle. The experiment was conducted in commercial poultry houses holding 42,500 chicks each, utilising a randomised block design with six house replicates per treatment. Litter samples were collected weekly for analyses of moisture, water-holding capacity, bulk density, pH and litter caking. Broiler footpad dermatitis was monitored at 21 and 31 days, together with acid detergent fibre (ADF) concentration of gizzard content, gizzard weight and small intestinal weight and length of 120 birds per treatment. Broilers across treatments consumed litter material which was evident in increased ADF levels of gizzard contents relative to feed. The SH contained more nutrients based on proximate analysis as compared to other treatments. Rearing on SH led to lower 7-day cumulative mortality, higher kilograms of broilers produced per square meter, average daily gain and slaughter weight. Improvements seen with SH did not alter commercial indicators, namely, production efficiency factor and feed conversion ratio. Litter converged toward similar physical characteristics at the end of production cycles when few differences were observed between treatments due to addition of feed, feathers and excreta.

The presence of pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in milk are among the most important issues related to the safety of dairy products and the health of consumers. However, despite that dairy cow are housed for long periods of time on different beddings, the effect of different bedding materials on the microbiota and presence of ARGs is unclear. In this study, the composition of microorganisms, and the presence of mastitis pathogens and 33 ARGs targeting seven antibiotics in raw milk produced from farms using sand bedding, rice husk bedding, and recycled manure solids (RMS) bedding were compared by amplicon sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR. The results showed that the microbial composition of milk was related to the microbiota of bedding. None of the mastitis pathogens were detected in milk from cows housed on sand bedding (S-M). The proportion of ARGs was highest in the S-M group and lowest in the milk from cows housed on RMS bedding (RMS-M) group. In general, the content of ARGs in RMS-M was the lowest, however, the RMS bedding may pose a threat to the breast health of dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The objective of the present experiment was to construct self-draining beds to keep surface bedding materials clean and dry for beef cattle comfort in a temperate climate. Methods In Experiment 1, a self-draining bed was covered with sand at depths of 10 cm (S-10a), 15 cm (S-15), and 20 cm (S-20) respectively. In Experiment 2, self-draining beds of different sizes were covered with 10 cm of sand (S-10b) and wood shavings (WS) at depths of 15 cm and 20 cm (WS-15 and WS-20). Fifteen cattle were engaged to evaluate the comfort of self-draining beds covered with different bedding materials. Results No cattle lay in the feed alley and cattle spent more time lying on S-10a than S-15 or S-20 in Experiment 1 (p0.05). In Experiment 2, no cattle selected the feed alley as the lying area. Cattle preferred WS-15 as the lying area and time spent lying on WS-20 was slightly higher than on S-10b (p

The presence of pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in milk are among the most important issues related to the safety of dairy products and the health of consumers. However, despite that dairy cow are housed for long periods of time on different beddings, the effect of different bedding materials on the microbiota and presence of ARGs is unclear. In this study, the composition of microorganisms, and the presence of mastitis pathogens and 33 ARGs targeting seven antibiotics in raw milk produced from farms using sand bedding, rice husk bedding, and recycled manure solids (RMS) bedding were compared by amplicon sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR. The results showed that the microbial composition of milk was related to the microbiota of bedding. None of the mastitis pathogens were detected in milk from cows housed on sand bedding (S-M). The proportion of ARGs was highest in the S-M group and lowest in the milk from cows housed on RMS bedding (RMS-M) group. In general, the content of ARGs in RMS-M was the lowest, however, the RMS bedding may pose a threat to the breast health of dairy cows.

Background: Domestic pigs have an evolutionary conserved exploratory behaviour. To comply with this requirement, the European Union aims at setting standards for appropriate enrichment materials for pigs (Council Directive 2008/120/EC). As recommended characteristics include 'chewable' and 'edible', pigs might also consume these materials (Commission Recommendation (EU) 2016/336), which are often additionally advertised to enhance lying comfort and hygienic conditions in stables. To date, a wide range of bedding, enrichment and disinfectant materials is available on the market to ensure environmental enrichment, a dry, hygienic environment or lying comfort. Previous studies revealed considerable amounts of undesirable substances in some of these materials possibly being a risk for food safety considering oral uptake by the animal. To determine interest and indicators for consumption of different types of materials by pigs during exploratory behaviour, a camera-assisted observational study with 12 female pigs (German Landrace) was conducted. We tested their preference for a disinfectant powder, peat, biochar and straw as reference material in a 4 × 6 factorial arrangement. Results: Pigs manipulated and consumed all offered materials. However, longest manipulation time per pig was observed for biochar (63 min/day) and peat (50 min/day) (p < 0.05). Analyses of the bulk molecular-chemical composition and n-alkanes and acid insoluble ash as markers in the materials and in faeces clearly revealed the consumption of these materials by pigs. Conclusions: Whether the consumption of considerable amounts together with certain levels of undesirable substances represents a risk for pig and consumer health could yet not be established. Future studies will address the quantitative contribution of undesirable substances by oral ingestion of bedding and enrichment materials and disinfectant powders to the daily feed ration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the physical characteristics of the biomass crop Erianthus arundinaceus as a bedding material for broiler and to compare it with existing bedding materials. Three physical characteristics were evaluated: the water absorbability, the water‐holding capacity, and the cushioning property. E. arundinaceus, shredded to five different particle sizes, was compared with sawdust, which is a typical bedding material used worldwide, and three alternatives: recycled paper, rice husks, and bagasse. E. arundinaceus absorbed water 5.0 to 10.2 times its weight, and water absorbability increased with decreasing particle size. E. arundinaceus held water around twice its weight regardless of the particle size. The cushioning property of E. arundinaceus tended to improve with increasing particle size. For each physical property, the total average value of the E. arundinaceus samples was compared with the values of other bedding materials. The water absorbability of E. arundinaceus was significantly higher than that of sawdust, recycled paper, and rice husks (p <.01). The water‐holding capacity of E. arundinaceus was significantly higher than those of sawdust, recycled paper, rice husks (p <.01), and bagasse (p <.05). The cushioning property of E. arundinaceus was significantly higher than those of sawdust and recycled paper (p <.01). When E. arundinaceus had an average particle size of less than 2.33 mm, it exceeded sawdust in all physical characteristics, suggesting that E. arundinaceus could replace sawdust as a favored bedding material. Our observations of surface structures revealed that the stem pith of E. arundinaceus has a spongy structure, which may contribute to its high water absorbability and water‐holding capacity. Moreover, the outermost layer of the E. arundinaceus stem appears to function like a leaf spring, contributing to the high cushioning property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of bedding material on air quality are important amongst horses worldwide. Respiratory diseases, especially equine asthma, are highly prevalent with air hygiene playing a major role on the pathophysiology of these diseases. The objective of our study was to investigate the effects of four bedding materials on the respiratory signs, tracheal mucus score, and tracheal wash (TW) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology in healthy adult horses. The study design was a prospective controlled cross-over study, and the subjects were healthy adult riding school horses (n = 32) from a single stable. Wood pellet, straw pellet, and loosely stored peat (Peat 3) were compared to peat packed in plastic-covered bales (Peat 2). Lower airway endoscopy and sampling (TW and BALF) for cytological examination were performed after each 35-day bedding period. The tracheal mucus scores (P = 0.014) and respiratory rate (P = 0.026) were higher during the straw pellet period compared to the Peat 2 period. The respiratory rate was lower during the wood pellet period compared to the Peat 2 period (P = 0.004). The TW neutrophil percentage during the straw pellet period was higher compared to the Peat 2 period (P = 0.0003). The BALF neutrophil percentage was higher during the straw pellet period (P = 0.005) and during the Peat 3 period compared to the Peat 2 period (P = 0.04). We conclude that baled peat (Peat 2) caused lower neutrophil percentages in the airway samples compared to straw pellet and loosely stored peat (Peat 3). No difference was observed between Peat 2 and wood pellet. The information gained from this study may assist veterinarians and horse owners in selecting appropriate bedding materials, especially for horses with equine asthma.

Bedding, environmental enrichment materials and disinfectant powders in pig farming are meant to ensure a hygienic bedding environment or allow pigs to perform explorative behaviour. To our knowledge, no legal regulation exists, that established maximum contents for undesirable substances, such as toxic metals, dioxins or trace elements in these materials, although oral ingestion could be expected. In the present study, a total of 74 materials (disinfectant powders [n = 51], earth/peat [n = 12], biochar [n = 8], recycled manure solids [n = 3]) were analysed for their content of various toxic metals, trace elements, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls. The data suggest that, in some samples, trace elements like iron, copper and zinc might have been added intentionally in order to induce physiological effects (iron supply to piglets, copper and zinc as growth promoter in pigs). Moreover, some materials contained high levels of lead, cadmium or arsenic. Consequently, if farm animals repeatedly consume environmental enrichment and bedding materials or disinfectant powders in considerable amounts and these quantities are added to the daily ration, the amount of ingested undesirable substances and trace elements might exceed the maximum levels set for complete feedstuffs, and an elevated transfer into food of animal origin might occur. Future studies are required to address the possible quantitative contribution in the light of feed and food safety. Finally, the excretion of undesirable substances with manure needs to be considered due to their possible accumulation in soils.

The increasing demand of wood shavings (WS) and sawdust (SD) by other industries and growing concerns of potential chemical contaminants from wood products have amplified research interest in alternative bedding materials for commercial poultry. Several alternative materials—corn cob (CC), straws (ST) and hays (HA), sand (SA), shredded papers (SP), rice hulls (RH), peanut hulls (PH), and gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O2)—can replace conventional ones in poultry houses, depending on availability, cost, and ability to absorb and adsorb moisture and provide the birds enough room to exhibit their natural behaviors. Alternative materials hold a brighter future as bedding materials, but more studies about their physicochemical properties and litter management practices for optimum poultry welfare are recommended.

Featured Application: The findings are highly relevant for the design and management of bedded pack barns. Among animal facilities, compost-bedded pack (CBP) barns have attracted a lot of attention from milk producers and the scientific community. Systematic investigation of the main thermal properties utilizing sawdust in CBP barns is of environmental and economic relevance. In this paper, the aim was to (a) develop predictive equations for the thermal conductivity (k) of compost bedding as a function of moisture content (MC), the degree of compaction (DCo), and particle size (PS); and (b) investigate the links between k and depth within bedding material. Samples of compost bedding materials were collected from 42 commercial CBP barns distributed throughout Kentucky (USA). From these predictive equations, it was possible to understand how the MC, DCo, and PS of the bedding materials may influence the behavior of k. These results are very useful for solving obstacles to simulate and predict the variable outcomes of the compost bedding materials process in CBP barns, allowing for its optimization, consequently reducing the time and energy spent on their optimization and allowing for simulation and assessment of compost bedding process modifications. The results of the current study may have important implications in the design and management of bedded pack barns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental mastitis represents a major challenge on dairy farms where contagious pathogens are controlled by improved milking procedures. Therefore, research focused on the environment is important to improve udder health programs. The objectives of this prospective and descriptive study were to (1) describe bedding bacterial counts, pH, and dry matter (DM) of five different bedding types (organic: manure solids, straw, paper fiber; inorganic: sand, recycled sand) and (2) explore the association between bedding bacterial counts with bulk tank milk quality. This study took place within five conveniently selected commercial dairy herds, each with a predominant bedding material in lactating pens. Bedding samples (used n = 237; fresh n = 53) were collected monthly from July 2018 to July 2019 following a standard operating procedure (SOP) to minimize sampling variability. Additionally, a bulk tank (BT) milk sample (n = 40) was collected on the same day unless milk had been picked up prior to arrival. Both BT and bedding samples were submitted to the laboratory for culture and bacterial identification and quantification of Streptococcus spp, coliforms, and non-coliforms as well as detection of several pathogens of mastitis importance. Somatic cell count was evaluated in BT samples. Within bedding type, the correlation between bedding characteristics and bacterial counts in bedding was evaluated using Pearson correlation. Within bedding type, the correlation between bacterial counts in bedding samples and bacterial counts in BT were determined. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to evaluate the bacterial count by bedding type and to evaluate BT somatic cell count differences based on bedding type. In fresh bedding, bacterial counts were generally higher for manure solids for all bacterial groups compared with other materials. In used samples, organic materials had the highest levels of all bacterial groups. The proportion of samples with detectable organisms of mastitis importance varied within and among herds in both bedding and BT samples throughout the study period. In bedding samples, a higher DM content had the lowest levels of bacterial growth compared with those with lower DM content. Most bedding samples were on the alkaline side within a pH range of 8–11. No relationship between bacterial counts and pH was observed. No associations between BT bacteria counts and bedding bacterial counts were observed. No association between bulk tank somatic cell counts based on bedding type were observed. Despite using an SOP for bedding sampling in an effort to consistently collect samples, we still observed a large amount of variability both within and among bedding samples. This variability may have obscured any potential association between BT milk quality and bedding type.

Compost-bedded pack (CBP) barns for dairy cows mainly use sawdust as bedding material. The objective of this study was to compare forest biomass to sawdust as bedding material for CBP. Variables evaluated included CBP moisture, temperature and C:N ratio, bedding microbial counts, and behavior and welfare measures of nonlactating cows. The experimental design was a crossover where two 11-wk periods were performed. Treatments were CBP with sawdust (CBP-S) as a control treatment and CBP with forest biomass (CBP-FB) as the experimental bedding material. Weather conditions, intake, CBP temperature, CBP moisture, and welfare assessment were measured during the entire periods. We took CBP samples for microbiological analysis and video recordings for animal behavior assessment in wk 11 of each period. The CBP management was the same in both treatments and periods, based on twice-daily tilling at a 30 cm depth, and the addition of 0.8 kg/m2 of new bedding material per day. Ambient temperature and environmental humidity were 9.1°C and 82.5% in period 1, and 13.2°C and 75.3% in period 2. Average DMI and water consumption were 17.4 ± 0.86 kg/d and 50.9 ± 7.84 L/d in period 1, and 16.3 ± 0.96 kg/d and 56.3 ± 8.02 L/d in period 2. Average of temperature, moisture, and C:N ratio of CBP were 32.2°C, 63.6%, and 44:1 in CBP-S, and 24.3°C, 66.4%, and 35:1 in CBP-FB, respectively. Temperature was higher in CBP-S than in CBP-FB, and in period 2 compared with period 1. Moisture was higher in CBP-FB than in CBP-S in period 1, but did not differ between treatments in period 2. The C:N ratio was higher in CBP-S than in CBP-FB in both periods. Total bacteria count and Bacillus spp. were similar between treatments. Klebsiella spp. counts in CBP-S were higher than in CBP-FB, and Streptococcus spp. and yeasts and fungi counts in CBP-S were lower than in CBP-FB. Total coliforms, Escherichia coli , and Staphylococcus aureus counts in CBP-S were higher than in CBP-FB in period 1, but did not differ between treatments in period 2. No differences were detected in lying time (15.5 h/d), and time needed to lie down was higher in CBP-FB (5.3 s) than in CBP-S (4.6 s). We found that CBP performance and cow comfort in CBP-FB were lower than in CBP-S, but microbial counts of some species were better controlled in CBP-FB than in CBP-S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prevent accelerated thermal aging or insulation faults in cable systems due to overheating, the current carrying capacity is usually limited by specific conductor temperatures. As the heat produced during the operation of underground cables has to be dissipated to the environment, the actual current carrying capacity of a power cable system is primarily dependent on the thermal properties of the surrounding porous bedding material and soil. To investigate the heat dissipation processes around buried power cables of real scale and with realistic electric loading, a field experiment consisting of a main field with various cable configurations, laid in four different bedding materials, and a side field with additional cable trenches for thermally enhanced bedding materials and protection pipe systems was planned and constructed. The experimental results present the strong influences of the different bedding materials on the maximum cable ampacity. Alongside the importance of the basic thermal properties, the influence of the bedding’s hydraulic properties, especially on the drying and rewetting effects, were observed. Furthermore, an increase in ampacity between 25% and 35% was determined for a cable system in a duct filled with an artificial grouting material compared to a common air-filled ducted system.

Pig welfare is affected by housing conditions, the minimum requirements of which are set up by EU legislation. Animal and non-animal-based measures are useful indicators to investigate housing risk factors for pig welfare. An observational study on 51 pig farms in seven EU countries, aimed at investigating housing risk factors for the welfare of finishing pigs, showed body weight and presence of bedded solid floored resting area (BED) identifying three clusters of farms. Farms with BED were featured by no or limited tail docking, larger availability of manipulable materials and lower number of pigs per farm and per annual work unit. In these farms, less skin and ear lesions were found, compared with lean pigs of farms without BED, which were characterized by lower pig space allowance, mortality rate and medication cost. In farms without BED, heavy pigs were featured by more space per pig, more pigs per drinker and higher mortality rate and medication cost per pig, compared to lean pigs. No statistical difference in tail lesions was found between the three farm clusters, although tail docking was performed in all farms without BED and not performed on most farms with BED.

Among animal facilities, compost-bedded pack (CBP) barns have attracted a lot of attention from milk producers and the scientific community. Systematic investigation of the main thermal properties utilizing sawdust in CBP barns is of environmental and economic relevance. In this paper, the aim was to (a) develop predictive equations for the thermal conductivity (k) of compost bedding as a function of moisture content (MC), the degree of compaction (DCo), and particle size (PS); and (b) investigate the links between k and depth within bedding material. Samples of compost bedding materials were collected from 42 commercial CBP barns distributed throughout Kentucky (USA). From these predictive equations, it was possible to understand how the MC, DCo, and PS of the bedding materials may influence the behavior of k. These results are very useful for solving obstacles to simulate and predict the variable outcomes of the compost bedding materials process in CBP barns, allowing for its optimization, consequently reducing the time and energy spent on their optimization and allowing for simulation and assessment of compost bedding process modifications. The results of the current study may have important implications in the design and management of bedded pack barns.

Objective The objectives of the study were to assess the effect of cacao bean husk as bedding material in free-stall barn on the behavior, productivity, and udder health of dairy cattle, and on the ammonia concentrations in the barn. Methods Four different stall surfaces (no bedding, cacao bean husk, sawdust, and chopped wheat straw) were each continuously tested for a period of 1 week to determine their effects on nine lactating Holstein cows housed in the free-stall barn with rubber matting. The lying time and the milk yield were measured between d 4 and d 7. Blood samples for plasma cortisol concentration and teat swabs for bacterial counts were obtained prior to morning milking on d 7. The time-averaged gas-phase ammonia concentrations in the barn were measured between d 2 and d 7. Results The cows spent approximately 2 h more per day lying in the stalls when bedding was available than without bedding. The milk yield increased in the experimental periods when cows had access to bedding materials as compared to the period without bedding. The lying time was positively correlated with the milk yield. Bacterial counts on the teat ends recorded for cows housed on cacao bean husk were significantly lower than those recorded for cows housed without bedding. Ammonia concentration under cacao bean husk bedding decreased by 6%, 15%, and 21% as compared to no bedding, sawdust, and chopped wheat straw, respectively. The cortisol concentration was lowest in the period when cacao bean husk bedding was used. We observed a positive correlation between the ammonia concentrations in the barn and the plasma cortisol concentrations. Conclusion Cacao bean husk is a potential alternative of conventional bedding material, such as sawdust or chopped wheat straw, with beneficial effects on udder health and ammonia concentrations in the barns.

Many bedding materials have been tested in broiler industry for their suitability. However, little knowledge is available regarding the usage of different bedding materials supplemented with sepiolite and their effects on animal performance and final product quality. For this purpose, a total of 288 day-old male broiler chicks were randomly allocated into two types of bedding materials (wood shavings and rice hulls). Each bedding material group was divided into 3 sub-groups: control with 0% sepiolite, 25%-sepiolite group, and 50%-sepiolite group. Each sub-group was placed in 6 pens with 8 chicks per pen. The effects of bedding materials and sepiolite additions on slaughter yields and some meat quality parameters in broilers were evaluated. Slaughter parameters including hot carcass yield and relative weights of thigh and breast meat, heart, liver, gizzard and bursa Fabricius in broilers were not affected by bedding materials and sepiolite additions (P > 0.05). Also, no significant differences were observed among experimental groups for cooking loss and nutritional profile of breast and thigh meat of broilers (P > 0.05). The freshly measured pH0 of breast and thigh meats was significantly affected by the bedding material and was higher for wood shavings group (P < 0.01). Breast and thigh meats of broilers reared on rice hulls were lighter (P < 0.01), less red, and less yellow in color than those reared on wood shavings, whereas no effect of sepiolite additions was observed on the color of both meat cuts. No substantial effect of bedding material and sepiolite additions was observed on white stripping; however, their occurrence rate found was very high for meat of broilers reared on rice hulls than those reared on wood shavings (P > 0.05). In conclusion, broilers reared on either wood shavings or rice hulls with or without sepiolite additions did not show any negative effects on slaughter yields and meat quality parameters. Furthermore, sepiolite can be an option as a bedding material for broiler industry, but further research with thorough economic analysis is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports a case of acute copper sulfate (CuSO4) poisoning in 2-day-old turkeys. The first incidences were noticed 2 h after placing the animals in the poultry house, where turkeys were provided with wood shaving bedding. Post-mortem examination showed wood shavings present in gastric and intestinal contents and numerous lesions in the alimentary tract: dark green color of the koilin lining, and surface erosions, deep ulceration, and severe congestion of the gizzard. The copper (Cu) concentration in samples of the liver, kidney, heart, gizzard content, gizzard muscle, gizzard lining, and wood shavings from the bedding was determined. Our results showed that the level of Cu in the livers of affected birds was more than sevenfold higher than the recommended value and the Cu content in bedding material was above the value considered to be toxic to turkeys. Our investigation identified the bedding disinfected using a CuSO4 solution as a possible cause of turkey fatalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine whether the type of bedding materials (sand, wood shavings, and paper) and of two chemical amendments (lime and bentonite) could interfere with litter quality (moisture, pH, and total bacterial counts), thereby influencing also the growth performance and the development of intestinal traits and cecum microbiota of chickens. Two hundred and seventy male Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly assigned into nine treatment groups with three replicates per treatment. Broiler productive parameters, relative weight of different intestinal segments, content of cecal total bacterial counts (total aerobic bacteria, Lactobacilli, and coliforms), as well as litter moisture, pH, and total aerobic bacteria and coliforms counts, were assessed. Litter material, per se, did not significantly affect the productivity parameters at the end of the experimental period (42 days) with the exception of protein efficiency. A significant trend was found among treatments with regard to weight gain and feed intake, with lower performance in birds on sand beddings. Litter pH was relatively homogenous between bedding types and amendments, but the moisture was significantly lower when sand was used. Litter type did not influence the relative weight of the different intestinal segments; however, the type of amendment affected the relative jejunum weight, which was increased in bentonite-treated litter. The use of lime and bentonite treatments may be helpful to decrease the differences in litter moisture associated with particular bedding materials. The tested amendments do not interfere with the productive performance of birds.

Moisture content influences physiological characteristics of microbes and physical structure of solid matrices during composting of animal manure. If moisture content is maintained at a proper level, aerobic microorganisms show more active oxygen consumption during composting due to increased microbial activity. In this study, optimum moisture levels for composting of two bedding materials (sawdust, rice hull) and two different mixtures of bedding and beef manure (BS, Beef cattle manure+sawdust; BR, Beef cattle manure+rice hull) were determined based on oxygen uptake rate measured by a pressure sensor method. A broad range of oxygen uptake rates (0.3 to 33.3 mg O2/g VS d) were monitored as a function of moisture level and composting feedstock type. The maximum oxygen consumption of each material was observed near the saturated condition, which ranged from 75% to 98% of water holding capacity. The optimum moisture content of BS and BR were 70% and 57% on a wet basis, respectively. Although BS’s optimum moisture content was near saturated state, its free air space kept a favorable level (above 30%) for aerobic composting due to the sawdust’s coarse particle size and bulking effect.

Changes in bacterial community, phenotype, metabolic function, and pathogenic bacteria content in recycled manure solids (RMS) were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing, Bugbase, picrost2, and qPCR, respectively. The data from RMS bedding were compared to those of sand bedding and rice husk bedding. The results show that the proportion of potentially pathogenic bacteria among the manure flora of RMS after dry and wet separation, after composting, and after sun-cure storage was 74.00%, 26.03%, and 49.067%, respectively. Compared to RMS bedding, the proportion of potentially pathogenic microorganisms in sand bedding and rice husk bedding was higher. The picrust2 analyses show that the level of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis changed significantly during RMS processing. In addition, the qPCR results show that composting could effectively reduce the detection and quantification of pathogens, except Streptococcus uberis, in RMS bedding. In general, composting is an essential step to improve the safety of bedding materials in the process of fecal treatment. However, at the same time, RMS bedding may increase the risk of mastitis caused by Streptococcus uberis.

Stable air quality and the choice of bedding material are an important health issue both in horses and people working or visiting horse stables. Risks of impaired respiratory health are those that can especially be avoided by improving air quality in the stable. The choice of bedding material is particularly important in cold climate conditions; where horses are kept most of the day and year indoors throughout their life. This study examined the effect of two bedding materials; wood shavings and peat; on stable air quality and health of horses. Ammonia and dust levels were also measured to assess conditions in the stable. Ammonia was not detected or was at very low levels (

Despite dairy farmers' awareness of the importance of correct bedding for the health and comfort of their cows, they are often frugal with respect to these bedding materials in order to reduce costs. In addition, farmers are currently dependent on the availability and price fluctuations of traditional bedding materials. For these reasons, the scientific literature as well as the trade press point to an intensifying search for affordable alternative bedding materials. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Miscanthus, a woody grass that requires low input but generates high yield, could replace straw in deep little dairy cow cubicles. The cows' cubicles were lined for two consecutive 14-day periods with straw/chalk/water bedding, followed by two consecutive 14-day periods with ground-Miscanthus/chalk bedding. No significant differences were found in the following parameters: loss/waste of bedding material, bacterial growth in cubicles, cow skin lesions (except for carpus lesions), cow cleanliness or cow comfort. Dust concentrations measured as PM10 were higher when cubicles were filled with straw-based bedding, but never exceeded workspace quality safety limits. Based on these results, one can conclude that Miscanthus has potential as a viable alternative to straw when used as a bedding material. On-farm cultivation of Miscanthus may increase dairy farmer self-sufficiency and could reduce bedding costs.

Ducks spend their entire life in contact with the litter material, thus the management strategies should focus on what is the best for ducks welfare and growth performance. Herein, the main object of the present study was assessing the effects of different litter materials on the ducks' welfare and growth performance. Four groups of ducks (24 duckling for each) were kept on four types of bedding materials, sawdust, plastic slatted floor, sand and without. The present study revealed several changes in duck's behaviors due to different bedding materials, where the most frequencies of maintenance behaviors (feeding, drinking, idling, preening) were significantly (P<0.05) higher in plastic slatted in comparing to other materials the highest significantly in plastic slatted litter and the lowest in non-bedding litter. Moreover, the ducks reared under sawdust floor revealed the highest frequency of foraging behavior (11.48 bouts/hour). While, feather pecking and aggression were the highest in non-bedding material (74.4, 5.51 bouts/hour, respectively). The hygienic conditions inside the non-bedding floor was the worst due to increase levels of ammonia and carbon dioxide (12, 0.97 Cm3/Litter, respectively). The ducks reared in plastic slatted floor were the best in growth performance with good signs of soundness. In non-bedding floor, the environmental stress revealed in the increase the level of plasma corticosterone hormone with bad signs of soundness. This study confirms importance of bedding materials in rearing of ducks, especially under plastic slatted floor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sports horse lives a large part of the time inside the pen in constant contact with the bedding. Therefore the bedding material can deeply affect the welfare and health of horses kept in pens. The materials have to ensure the realization of a double aim: to create a comfortable and soft surface on which the animal can stand and relax; to give appropriate hygienic and sanitary conditions. Other important factors influence the choice, such as: the material must not be appetizing for the horse; the litter has to maintain a proper level of moisture, so that the hoof is kept healthy, elastic and hydrated. Also the costs for material and litter management have to be taken into account. In the present study, different organic materials are compared: wood chips, hemp, rice, flax and coconut. The trials took place in five box stalls, with square plan of 3 x 3 m. Environmental data were collected during the trials (air temperature and humidity, ammonia concentration, litter moisture). Management data were also collected, regarding the use of bedding materials, working time, costs. In the paper the main results of the comparison between the different litter materials used in horses pens are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to examine the suitability of chopped palm leaves to utilize as a bedding material, compared to wood shavings or wheat straw, on growth performance, immune response, and air quality for broiler production. Three bedding materials were used: wood shavings, chopped palm leaves, and wheat straw. A total of 3,240 one-day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308) was randomly distributed into 3 litter groups (1,080 birds each). Each group had 6 replicate pens (180 birds/pen).All birdswere kept under similar environmental conditions, except for bedding material. The obtained results revealed that the growth performance and total mortality rate were not significantly affected by bedding material type. However, using chopped palm leaves as bedding material significantly reduced (P < 0.05) ammonia emission compared to wood shavings and wheat straw (4.1, 7.3 and 8.4 ppm, respectively). A similar trend was observed for settled dust concentration (4.0, 10.3, and 5.9 g/m², respectively). Moreover, an improvement in cell-mediated immunity was observed in boilers kept on chopped palm leaves. Carcass characteristics were not significantly affected by bedding material. It was concluded that chopped palm leaves are a good alternative bedding material to wood shavings and wheat straw in commercial broiler production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]