Forty early-lactating Comisana ewes, with no history of mastitis, were used in an 8-week experiment. The animals were divided into four groups of 10 and housed in four separate rooms in the same building. The treatments were: (1) fortnightly application of 0.5 kg granular bentonite per M of litter (BENT), (2) litter renewal after the first 4 weeks of the trial, without bentonite treatments (REN), (3) fortnightly litter treatments with bentonite + litter renewal (BENT + REN), and (4) neither bentonite treatments nor litter renewal (CTRL). The concentrations of gaseous pollutants and of airborne microorganisms and dust in the experimental rooms were measured twice weekly. Ewe milk yield was recorded daily. Individual milk samples were analyzed weekly for milk composition, coagulating properties, somatic cell concentration (SCC), and for bacteriological characteristics. The CTRL treatment resulted in higher concentrations of total and respirable dusts (P < 0.001) than the three other treatments as well as in greater amounts of total microorganisms (P < 0.01) and of yeast/moulds than the BENT and the BENT + REN treatments (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). The CTRL ewes also gave lower yields of milk (P < 0.01) and of protein and fat (P < 0.001) than those of the three other groups. Litter management affected the hygienic quality of milk, CTRL ewes having higher somatic cell (P < 0.01), and mesophilic and total coliform counts (P < 0.001) in their milk than those of the three other groups, and greater amounts (P < 0.05) of psychrotrophs and fecal coliforms than the BENT + REN animals. Our results suggest that litter management is critical for improving air quality in sheep houses and for optimizing the yield and the hygienic quality of ewe milk. Both litter renewal and treatment with bentonite may be effective in reducing air pollution and in sustaining ewe performance; however, the association of these procedures does not lead to further improvements of air and milk quality. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of litter management on airborne particulates in sheep houses and on the yield and quality of ewe milk

CENTODUCATI, Pasquale
2003-01-01

Abstract

Forty early-lactating Comisana ewes, with no history of mastitis, were used in an 8-week experiment. The animals were divided into four groups of 10 and housed in four separate rooms in the same building. The treatments were: (1) fortnightly application of 0.5 kg granular bentonite per M of litter (BENT), (2) litter renewal after the first 4 weeks of the trial, without bentonite treatments (REN), (3) fortnightly litter treatments with bentonite + litter renewal (BENT + REN), and (4) neither bentonite treatments nor litter renewal (CTRL). The concentrations of gaseous pollutants and of airborne microorganisms and dust in the experimental rooms were measured twice weekly. Ewe milk yield was recorded daily. Individual milk samples were analyzed weekly for milk composition, coagulating properties, somatic cell concentration (SCC), and for bacteriological characteristics. The CTRL treatment resulted in higher concentrations of total and respirable dusts (P < 0.001) than the three other treatments as well as in greater amounts of total microorganisms (P < 0.01) and of yeast/moulds than the BENT and the BENT + REN treatments (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). The CTRL ewes also gave lower yields of milk (P < 0.01) and of protein and fat (P < 0.001) than those of the three other groups. Litter management affected the hygienic quality of milk, CTRL ewes having higher somatic cell (P < 0.01), and mesophilic and total coliform counts (P < 0.001) in their milk than those of the three other groups, and greater amounts (P < 0.05) of psychrotrophs and fecal coliforms than the BENT + REN animals. Our results suggest that litter management is critical for improving air quality in sheep houses and for optimizing the yield and the hygienic quality of ewe milk. Both litter renewal and treatment with bentonite may be effective in reducing air pollution and in sustaining ewe performance; however, the association of these procedures does not lead to further improvements of air and milk quality. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11586/25191
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