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Hello people! No more daily stall mucking?
Research identifies sound mucking-out technique
September 16, 2009
Ammonia generation is greater in horse stables if they are completely mucked out every day, German research has found.
Mucking out completely on a daily basis should not be undertaken in horse stables, German researchers have found.
They also found that wheat straw outperformed straw pellets and wood shavings as stable bedding.
The researchers set out to compare different types of bedding and mucking out regimes used in horse stables on the production of particle matter and biogenic gases - carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and especially ammonia.
Three separate experiments were undertaken, each carried out in an enclosed stable with five single boxes housing four horses.
Measuring instruments were set up in the middle of one side of the stable.
In the first experiment, the three types of bedding material were assessed according to their ammonia generation. Each type of bedding was used for two weeks, with three repetitions of the experiment.
The average ammonia concentrations were lowest for wheat straw - 3.07 milligrams per cubic metre of air, plus or minus 0.23mg per cubic metre - compared with 4.79 for straw pellets (which showed an identical level of variation to wheat straw) and a level of 4.27 for wood shavings, which showed a slightly lower level of variation.
In the second part of the experiment, the effects of the mucking out regimes on the generation of ammonia and particles from wheat straw were examined using three different daily methods:
* No mucking out.
* Complete mucking out.
* Partial mucking out, in which only the faeces were removed.
Average ammonia concentrations differed significantly between all three mucking-out regimes, the researchers found.
"The highest values were recorded when the stalls were mucked out completely every day," they wrote.
No mucking out at all resulted in ammonia levels about 15 per cent lower than when the stalls were mucked out completely. Ammonia levels in partial mucking out were, on average, 32 per cent lower than what they were with complete mucking out.
No mucking out at all delivered the lowest average level of particle matter in the air among the three different strategies.
In the third phase of the experiment, the researchers evaluated gas and airborne particle generation for a six-week period without mucking out.
"The ammonia values were found not to constantly increase during the course of the six-week period," the said.
"The average weekly values for particle matter also did not constantly increase but varied between approximately 90 and 140 micrograms/m.
"It can be concluded from the particle and gas generation patterns found in the results of all three experiments that wheat straw was the most suitable bedding of the three types investigated, and that mucking out completely on a daily basis should not be undertaken in horse stables."
The study, entitled "Gas and particle concentrations in horse stables with individual boxes as a function of the bedding material and the mucking regime", was carried out out by K. Fleming, E.F. Hessel and H.F. Van den Weghe, from the Department for Animal Sciences, Division Process Engineering, at Georg-August University of Goettingen, in Vechta, Germany.
Their findings appear in the Journal of Animal Science.
September 16, 2009
Ammonia generation is greater in horse stables if they are completely mucked out every day, German research has found.
Mucking out completely on a daily basis should not be undertaken in horse stables, German researchers have found.
They also found that wheat straw outperformed straw pellets and wood shavings as stable bedding.
The researchers set out to compare different types of bedding and mucking out regimes used in horse stables on the production of particle matter and biogenic gases - carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and especially ammonia.
Three separate experiments were undertaken, each carried out in an enclosed stable with five single boxes housing four horses.
Measuring instruments were set up in the middle of one side of the stable.
In the first experiment, the three types of bedding material were assessed according to their ammonia generation. Each type of bedding was used for two weeks, with three repetitions of the experiment.
The average ammonia concentrations were lowest for wheat straw - 3.07 milligrams per cubic metre of air, plus or minus 0.23mg per cubic metre - compared with 4.79 for straw pellets (which showed an identical level of variation to wheat straw) and a level of 4.27 for wood shavings, which showed a slightly lower level of variation.
In the second part of the experiment, the effects of the mucking out regimes on the generation of ammonia and particles from wheat straw were examined using three different daily methods:
* No mucking out.
* Complete mucking out.
* Partial mucking out, in which only the faeces were removed.
Average ammonia concentrations differed significantly between all three mucking-out regimes, the researchers found.
"The highest values were recorded when the stalls were mucked out completely every day," they wrote.
No mucking out at all resulted in ammonia levels about 15 per cent lower than when the stalls were mucked out completely. Ammonia levels in partial mucking out were, on average, 32 per cent lower than what they were with complete mucking out.
No mucking out at all delivered the lowest average level of particle matter in the air among the three different strategies.
In the third phase of the experiment, the researchers evaluated gas and airborne particle generation for a six-week period without mucking out.
"The ammonia values were found not to constantly increase during the course of the six-week period," the said.
"The average weekly values for particle matter also did not constantly increase but varied between approximately 90 and 140 micrograms/m.
"It can be concluded from the particle and gas generation patterns found in the results of all three experiments that wheat straw was the most suitable bedding of the three types investigated, and that mucking out completely on a daily basis should not be undertaken in horse stables."
The study, entitled "Gas and particle concentrations in horse stables with individual boxes as a function of the bedding material and the mucking regime", was carried out out by K. Fleming, E.F. Hessel and H.F. Van den Weghe, from the Department for Animal Sciences, Division Process Engineering, at Georg-August University of Goettingen, in Vechta, Germany.
Their findings appear in the Journal of Animal Science.
Views: 97
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Marti Langley on
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I think there are better ways of stabling horses. I prefer covered pipe shelters to box stalls, where the air is boxed in with the horses to a certain extent. I also make sure each horse is turned out for several hours minimum daily, and I pick up manure twice daily. JMHO.
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Permalink Reply by apimom on
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Somehow I have a problem with above statements:
Wheat straw has absolutely no absorbtion quality. Liquid goes through to the base. Now the pee is sitting on either rubber mats or concrete in a puddle or seep into dirt or limestone screening. Not sure this is where I want it.
Rubber mats being failrly smooth and slick do not let a "base" develop. A base is "knitted together" shavings for instance that prevents the spread of pee. The liquid is confined in a fairly small area and can be scooped out without disturbing the rest of the stall "base".
Concrete is fine if it is a rough surface to hold the base and the base is high enough to provide a cushion for joints and to be high enough to hold a pee pocket. Limestone is rough in itself and will hold the base in place. The concentration of ammonia with daily mucking is a logical development as a pee spot is opened to be taken out. At this moment in time the ammonia fumes are physically available to a measuring device.
This does NOT automatically conclude that it is ok to leave pee in the bedding as this is a healthier alternative. The statement of "no mucking out at all" being the healthiest or providing the best results might leave your horse with a bent neck or lowered head eventually as the floor will rise to meet the ceiling at one point.
Yes, vacuuming will raise dust particle levels in the air in a room but this finding does not conclude that no dusting is the preferred alternative.
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Permalink Reply by Jen B on
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"The statement of "no mucking out at all" being the healthiest or providing the best results might leave your horse with a bent neck or lowered head eventually as the floor will rise to meet the ceiling at one point." haha ....so true...
Though I posted the story, I don't really understand it totally either. As you point out ,it would be good if they told us what kind of floor the stalls had. I've seen some stalls that were not mucked out for a week and I tell the amonia smell is horrible.
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Hi Jen B,
I guarantee you the scientific results stems from the fact that the mesurements were taken at the time of mucking, which of course has the highest particle concentration and ammonia molecule count in the air in the box stall. But even in a pristine stall with perfect base after a week my mucous membranes would be quite unhappy with the ammonia irritation.
Somehow I think the "scientists" were not horse people?
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Permalink Reply by Sarah at HorseJobs.ca on
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Interesting study huh? We actually talked about this study on our blog the other week. It also talks about air quality as well as amonia levels.
If anyone is interested here is the link to view the study online (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19617518)
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This link is an exact repeat of the initial posting. Even if some people will not agree but here is a comparison:
Teeth cleaning causes more problems than leaving tartar build-up on ones teeth. During a dentist/hygienist teeth cleaning the concentration of debris of calcium deposit floating around in the mouth is highest and therefore should not be done????? Pertains to other areas of the body too....... An experiment can be set up to produce odd results. Even if the actual result shows perceived negative impact it has to be evaluated and seen in a context.
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