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In general, a low level of contagious pathogens was detected in the milk bulk tank samples. "However, only 43% of the dairies had a significant reduction in bulk tank SCC, with one dairy having a significant increase. "We found that 67% of the dairies had a reduction in mastitis infection rates compared to their previous housing system," Endres says. In addition to utilizing the compost barn, other changes were made to the dairies, which likely contributed to the significant milk production increase. The average increase was 2,105 lb/cow per year (with a range of 870 to 2,934 lb). In their 2007 study, Endres and her colleagues found that 89% of the participating dairies had a significant increase in 305 mature-equivalent milk production when moving their cows to the compost barn. There are coliforms, streps and staphs present." There is microbial activity taking place in the bedding pack that generates heat, but that doesn't eliminate the pathogenic bacteria. He was seeing teat-end injuries and quite a few cases of coliform mastitis. "In our study, we saw one situation where the producer installed a new parlor and the machines weren't properly regulated. “Making sure teat ends are clean greatly reduces the possibility for mastitis in this kind of system," Endres says. While the bedded pack barn offers a relatively dry surface, mastitis pathogens are present and can cause problems. Typically, manure is removed from the pack itself twice each year, once in the spring and once in fall."Ī key management technique in bedded pack barns is an effective prep for milking. That significantly reduces the size of the storage area that's needed. That means that 60 to 70 percent of the manure is held in the bedding pack. "Producers report varying percentages of manure in the alley, ranging from 25 to 40 percent. "The manure in the alley is scraped twice each day and stored in a pit or hauled daily," Endres says. The barns can also provide a simpler means for producers to manage manure. The bedding pack is aerated twice daily through use of a cultivator or chisel plow to incorporate manure into the pack and create a drier surface.īenefits of the compost bedded pack barn include increased cow comfort and longevity. The alley surrounding the pack has one to four walkways for cows and equipment used to access the pack. In the 2007 study Endres and her colleagues completed, they found that, in general, compost barns have a concrete feed alley, a bedded pack area and a four-foot-high concrete wall that surrounds the pack. In order to determine what materials work best for you, it's necessary to consider the cost and availability of that material and how well it might work in the pack."
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A producer in South Dakota is mixing wheat straw with corn stalks and that's working for him. It needs to be mixed with something like sawdust.
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"Wheat straw doesn't work well by itself. "People have been using ground up straw such as soybean, rye and wheat straw," Endres says. Because they break apart once they become wet, corn stalks need to be mixed with other types of material in order to effectively serve in a compost bedding barn. Here we don't have easy access to those large amounts of bedding materials."Įndres notes that corn stalks by themselves don't make good compost bedding because they don't retain their structure once they absorb moisture. "But they had tons of rice hulls and cotton straw they were using. "There is a dairy in China with 2,000 cows that was using the compost bedding pack barn," Endres says. A large number of cows will produce enough manure to require a significant amount of bedding material. "Whether or not this is an efficient way for them to house their cows depends on many things, including the type of bedding materials that are available and economically priced, and how dedicated they are to managing the bedding to keep it aerated and dry."ĭairies with more than 200 cows may want to consider an alternative to a compost bedding pack barn if they plan to use a compost barn for all their cows. "Each manager has to choose the system that works best for them," she explains. Endres, says answering that question involves numerous factors. Is a compost bedded pack barn the best option for your dairy?Īssociate Professor of Dairy Science, Marcia I.