Abstract
The effects of dolomitic limestone (DL) on microbial counts (MC) and cow comfort were evaluated in a field study. A cooperating commercial dairy used DL bedding or sand bedding in freestall barns. Coliform bacteria counts in the top 3 cm of the surface of the DL bedding were approximately 15 times greater than bacteria counts observed in the top 3 cm of the sand bedding. However, in subsurface samples (below 3 cm), coliform bacteria counts in the sand bedding were greater than those found in DL bedding. Visual observations indicated that cows preferred sand bedding over the DL bedding used in this field study.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1073-1077 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Applied Engineering in Agriculture |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| State | Published - Nov 2005 |
Keywords
- Bedding
- Cow comfort
- Limestone
- Microbial