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WELF ▶▶▶ARE


Managing the bedding and manure microbiota


Nutrition, health and a clean animal environment are the three pillars to consider jointly for guaranteeing the quality of animal production. Today, it appears that the animal environment represents an important area for progress.


BY JULIA PLATEAU-GONTHIER, PRODUCT MANAGER ANIMAL ENVIRONMENT LALLEMAND ANIMAL NUTRITION


1


Looking at animal production under the microscope Let’s look at a dairy farm with the eyes of a microbiol- ogist. The feed and the forage, the animal’s gut, the


cow’s bedding, the building and the organic waste are all complex microbial ecosystems. The balance among these ecosystems is essential. Microbial solutions are increasingly used around the farm to help manage these ecosystems. This is the case, for example, of probiotic yeast, which positively impacts the rumen microflora, leading to enhanced diges- tion, performance and well-being. In the same way, silage in- oculants help better control forage fermentation and preser- vation by orientating its microflora. Animal bedding and manure, or slurry – and also the soiled floor surfaces – harbour important microbial populations in permanent contact with the animals. Optimising the balance of these microbial ecosystems through building and bedding management is a valuable way to maintain a safe environ-


Figure 1 - Schematic representation of the microbial bedding ulant mode of action.


Figure 1 - Schematic representation of the microbial bedding inoculant mode of action.


ment for the animal while maximising the agronomic value and the logistics of the farm’s organic waste.


2


The importance of housing Design and management of the housing and bed- ding environment are essential because each has a direct impact on animal production and welfare.


According to the Five Freedoms of animal welfare, housing should be designed to allow animals access to essential needs and normal behaviour. For this, many aspects of ani- mal housing can be controlled to reduce the risk of undesir- able bacteria development, such as the temperature, air ventilation, housing design, bedding material and cleaning procedures. On farms, the main roles of bedding/housing are to bring comfort to animals, absorb excess water and insulate the animals from the cold. However, the addition of faeces, urine – and associated intestinal microorganisms – to the bedding material alters the physicochemical parameters of the bedding/housing areas, which is therefore degraded by the microbial activity of the organic wastes (poor fermenta- tion, gaseous emissions, etc.). In addition, some microbial growth in these conditions may be related to serious health issues such as udder mastitis, directly affecting milk quality. Using a bedding product can help maintain all aspects of the housing that have been adapted before the animals en- ter the building and during their stay, including the quality of the bedding.


3 30 ▶ DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 8, No. 2, 2021


Developing a microbial solution Bedding products are common on the market and can have various compositions, from a simple min- eral drying agent to more complex products con-


taining biocidal compounds, aromas, essential oils, etc. A particularly interesting approach is to use specific micro- bial inoculants to favour positive fermentation within the bedding. To develop this kind of microbial solution that is able to orientate and control the microbial fermentation in both bedding and manure, scientists at Lallemand Animal Nutrition have selected some bacteria strains based on their synergy with each other: some specific lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Bacillus ( Figure 1). In addition, selected lignocellulolytic enzymes were includ- ed in the formulation. Such enzymes have the ability to re- lease certain five- and six-carbon sugars from the complex


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