ABSTRACT
The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of using corn stover or three different wood-based bedding materials (kiln-dried pine wood chips, dry cedar chips, or green cedar chips) on airborne concentrations of NH, total reduced sulfides (TRS), CO, CH, and NO above lab-scaled bedded manure packs. Four bedded packs of each bedding material were maintained for two 42-d periods. Airborne NH, TRS, CO, CH, and NO were measured weekly. Bedded packs containing dry or green cedar had lower concentrations of NH (350.8 and 357.3 mg m, respectively; < 0.05) than bedded packs containing pine chips or corn stover (466.0 and 516.7 mg m, respectively). Airborne CO was also lower from bedded packs containing dry and green cedar (1343.7 and 1232.3 mg m, respectively; < 0.001) compared with bedded packs containing pine chips or corn stover (2000.2 and 1659.8 mg m, respectively). Air samples from bedded packs containing green cedar chips had a higher ( < 0.01) concentration of CH than bedded packs containing dry cedar chips, corn stover, or pine chips at Day 35 and 42. Initially, TRS concentration was similar among all bedding materials; at 28 to 42 d, TRS was higher ( < 0.001) from bedded packs containing the cedar products. Airborne NO was similar ( = 0.51) for all bedding materials. Pine chips and cedar products can be adequate substitutes for corn stover in deep-bedded barns, but cedar bedding may need to be removed more frequently.
ABSTRACT
The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of three types of wood-based bedding materials (kiln-dried pine wood chips, dry cedar chips, and green cedar chips) and corn stover on the concentration of odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and total in bedded pack material. Four bedded packs of each bedding material were maintained for two 42-d periods ( = 32; eight replicates/bedding material). Straight- and branched-chained fatty acids, aromatic compounds, and sulfide compounds were measured from the headspace above each bedded pack. Green cedar bedding had the highest concentration of odorous VOCs, and pine chip bedding had the lowest ( < 0.01). Calculated odor activity values were highest for green cedar bedding, followed by dry cedar, corn stover, and pine chip bedding. As the bedded packs aged, the concentration of odorous VOCs increased, particularly in the bedded packs containing green cedar chips and dry cedar chips. Total concentrations increased from Days 0 to 21 and then began to decline and were similar among all bedding materials ( < 0.10). Results of this study indicate that producers using a long-term bedded pack management in their facility may benefit from using pine chips because they do not appear to increase odor over time. Cedar-based bedding materials may be better suited for a scrape-and-haul system, where the bedded pack is removed after 1 or 2 wk. Total concentrations did not differ between any of the four bedding materials over time.
