This study was conducted to investigate the effects of recycled poultry bedding (RPB) treated with different levels of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) as a tannin source on cellulolytic bacterial population and rumen fermentation parameters of fattening lambs. For this purpose, twenty-eight Arabian lambs (19.70 ± 2.45 kg body weight, 90 ± 12 days of age) were randomly assigned to four dietary tr...

Dairy cattle barns are a major source of NH3 emissions to the atmosphere. Previous studies have shown that the bedding material used in the barn can influence the magnitude of NH3 emissions, but little is known about which bedding characteristics are important in this respect. The aims of this study were to assess, at a laboratory scale, the relative importance of the chemical [pH, cation excha...

Introduction Reports of bedding shortages in the poultry industry and escalating costs can be traced back more than 60 years. This situation has often occurred in the more concentrated broiler producing areas such as the Delmarva Peninsula and the Shenandoah Valley. With rising production capacity over the years the demand for bedding by poultry industry increased. At the same time there have b...

Laboratory facilities use many varieties of contact bedding, including wood chips, paper products, and corncob, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Corncob bedding, for example, is often used because of its high absorbency, ability to minimize detectable ammonia, and low cost. However, observations that mice eat the corncob lead to concerns that its use can interfere with dietary st...

Effects of bedding with recycled sand and season on lying behaviors, hygiene, and preferences of late-lactation Holstein cows were studied. It was hypothesized that recycled sand will decrease lying time and increase hygiene scores due to increased moisture content and organic matter, and thus a preference for the control sand will be evident. Cows (n = 64) were divided into 4 groups (n = 8 per...

Sixty Angus-cross steers were used to compare the effects of recycled poultry bedding (RPB) stacking method and the inclusion of monensin in growing diets on performance. Steers were individually fed balanced, growing diets for a period of 84 d. The diets were control (CON), CON + monensin (CON+M), deep-stacked RPB (DS), DS+M, shallow-stacked RPB (SS), and SS+M. The CON diets contained corn, so...

The objective of the study was to determine whether, under controlled conditions, bedding materials vary in their ability to support growth of different environmental pathogens independent of the presence of feces, urine, or other contamination. Five sterilized bedding materials (fine hardwood chips, recycled dried manure, chopped newspaper, softwood sawdust, and chopped straw) and three bacter...

Many concentrated poultry-producing areas of the USA including the Delmarva Peninsula have shortages of quality pine-base bedding materials. Yet, there are often ample supplies of cost-effective hardwood sawdust (HW) that could supplement this deficit. However, the poultry industry has been reluctant to use HW due to periodic mold-induced respiratory health concerns. A demonstration was impleme...

Backyard poultry ownership provides a great opportunity for improved self-reliance and small-scale agricultural sustainability through home egg and meat production. One issue with backyard poultry ownership is managing the waste products of your birds, particularly the manure and bedding mixture (termed “litter”) that builds up in the coop. If not managed properly, this waste material can creat...