Date Available
1-12-2015
Year of Publication
2014
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Document Type
Master's Thesis
College
Agriculture, Food and Environment
Department/School/Program
Animal and Food Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. Jeffrey M. Bewley
Second Advisor
Dr. Joseph L. Taraba
Abstract
Lameness and mastitis are the two most costly diseases in the dairy industry. Reduction of these diseases through housing and management is beneficial. Compost bedded pack (CBP) and sand freestall barns were compared in a long-term, on-farm study to assess the effect of housing on each disease. Another research objective was to evaluate the effects of ambient weather conditions on moisture and 20 cm internal temperature of CBP. Compost bedded pack moisture, C:N ratio, and internal temperature effects on cleanliness, mastitis, and bedding bacterial counts were also considered. The last research objective was to evaluate the economics of bedding material decisions in CBP and provide a user-friendly decision support tool to predict bedding costs and usefulness.
Recommended Citation
Eckelkamp, Elizabeth A., "COMPOST BEDDED PACK BARNS FOR DAIRY CATTLE: BEDDING PERFORMANCE AND MASTITIS AS COMPARED TO SAND FREESTALLS" (2014). Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences. 43.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/animalsci_etds/43
