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Effect of Bedding Material on Air Quality of Bedded Manure Packs in Livestock Facilities

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  2012 Dallas, Texas, July 29 - August 1, 2012  121337890.(doi:10.13031/2013.42170)
Authors:   Mindy J Spiehs, Tami M Brown-Brandl, Daniel N Miller, David B Parker
Keywords:   Ammonia, Bedding, Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, Volatile organic compounds

Bedding materials may affect air quality in livestock facilities. The objective of this study was to compare headspace concentrations of odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2),methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) when pine wood chips (PC) and corn stover (CS) were mixed in various ratios (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, and 100% PC) and used as bedding in lab-scaled bedded manure packs. Odor activity values (OAV) were calculated using VOC concentration. Air samples were collected from the headspace of the lab-scaled bedded packs weekly for 6 weeks. Concentration of VOC was similar among all bedding treatments (P = 0.30), as were the OAV. Ammonia concentration increased linearly with increasing inclusion of PC in the bedding mix (P = 0.002; R2 = 0.5819). Carbon dioxide, CH4, and N2O concentrations were similar among bedding materials (P = 0.61) and changed throughout the 6 week study (P < 0.01). Results of this study indicate that mixtures of bedding material containing > 60% PC may increase NH3, but VOC, greenhouse gas production, and odor potential as indicated by OAV will not be affected by the inclusion of PC when used in deep-bedded livestock facilities.

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