Annie Fréchette

Methods for preparing recycled manure bedding and their impact on cows health and milk quality.

Over the last few years, an increased interest from canadian dairy farmers for using recycled manure as bedding has been observed. Negative effects are not well documented, but there is a risk that these bedding could potentially allow growth or maintain presence of mastitis and/or zoonotic pathogens. There is currently little scientific data to guide dairy farmers and help them apply best management practices. The specific objectives for this research are to: 1) Describe bedding production procedures and bedding management currently used on farms using recycled manure bedding and describe bacteriological and physicochemical caracteristics as function of bedding production procedures used; and 2) Determine the potential impact of using recycled manure bedding on cows and udder health.  This project will, among other things, establish guidelines for the production and the safe use of recycled manure bedding under canadian conditions for dairy farmers who would like to test it and who knows; adopt the practice.