Seasonal shifts in bacteria associated with Jersey cows on a small dairy farm and the potential for bedding choice and low levels of iodine use to inhibit mastitic pathogens

Degradation and characteristic changes of organic matter in sewage sludge using Vermi-biofilter system

Vermi-biofilter (VF) System could be an efficient sludge treatment unit in regard of rates and extents of total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) removal, particularly the first 10 days earthworm-treated. This study characterized the organic matter in sludge before and after VF system treatment, with or without earthworm stage. The 60 days earthworm-treated VF system reached a TCOD removal of 10,450 mg/L, bulk DOC removal of 89.5 mg/L, and earthworm density increase from 32 g/L to 43 g/L in sludge EBOM in 60 days of VF system operation. The aromatic proteins, soluble microbial byproduct-like fluorescent compounds and carboxylic components, aliphatic components (C-H related), hydrocarbon and carbohydrate materials were identified to be principally increased by 10 days earthworm-treated and then degradation in the nest days under VF system.

Odorous Volatile Organic Compounds, Escherichia coli, and Nutrient Concentrations when Kiln-Dried Pine Chips and Corn Stover Bedding Are Used in Beef Bedded Manure Packs

Pine ( spp.) bedding has been shown to lower the concentration of odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and pathogenic bacteria compared with corn ( L.) stover bedding, but availability and cost limit the use of pine bedding in cattle confinement facilities. The objectives of this study were to determine if the addition of pine wood chips to laboratory-scaled bedded packs containing corn stover (i) reduced odorous VOC emissions; (ii) reduced total ; and (iii) changed the nutrient composition of the resulting manure-bedded packs. Bedding treatments included 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, and 100% pine chips, with the balance being corn stover. Four bedded packs for each mixture were maintained for 42 d ( = 4 observations per bedding material). The production of total sulfur compounds increased significantly when 100% pine chips were used (44.72 ng L) compared with bedding mixture containing corn stover (18.0-24.56 ng L). The carbon-to-nitrogen ratio exceeded the ideal ratio of 24:1 for the optimum activity of soil microorganisms when ≥60% pine chips (25.3-27.5 ng L) were included in the mixture. The use of 100% pine chips as bedding increased sulfide concentration in the facility 1.8 to 2.4 times over the use of corn stover bedding. was not influenced by the addition of pine chips to the corn stover bedding material but did decrease as the bedded pack aged. Bedding material mixtures containing 30 to 60% pine and 40 to 70% corn stover may be the ideal combination to mitigate odors from livestock facilities using deep bedded systems.

Addition of cattle manure to sheep bedding allows vermicomposting process and improves vermicompost quality

Animal waste is usually a good substrate for vermicomposting. However, numerous animal husbandry systems use bedding that consists primarily of lignocellulosic substrates, which hinders earthworm and microorganism's development and thus, the entire bioconversion process. One possible solution is to mix the used bedding with other waste materials that are more amenable to earthworm ingestion and can provide better conditions for earthworm population growth. Here, we have aimed to examine the effectiveness of such procedure by mixing rice-husk-based sheep bedding with cattle manure in different proportions (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%). We have carried out vermicomposting experiments in benchtop vermireactors inoculated with 0.88kg of dry matter (sheep bedding+cattle manure). Data used in the Principal Component Analysis were the multiple vermicomposting variables (i.e., EC; pH; HA/FA and C/N ratios; P, K, cellulose, and hemicellulose content). The effect of the treatment on earthworm count was analyzed with ANOVA. We have observed that the addition of at least 25% of cattle manure to sheep bedding allows vermicomposting process but it is necessary 148days to obtain a stabilized vermicompost. However, increasing the proportion of cattle manure to sheep bedding, the vermicomposting time decreases proportionally to 94days. We concluded that vermicomposting can be considered a bioprocess to stabilize rice husk after being used as sheep bedding.