Coliform Counts in Various Bedding Materials

Abstract

In the 1st of 3 trials to compare total coliform and Klebsiella counts in various bedding materials, freestalls were bedded with either green softwood sawdust or the same sawdust with lime mixed in the sawdust in the rear of each stall. Although there were fewer Klebsiella organisms on teat ends of cows using the stalls with lime, this difference was small, and there was no significant difference in the numbers of Klebsiella or total coliform organisms in the 2 types of bedding. In the 2nd trial, tie-stalls were bedded with either green sawdust or lime. There were differences between the 2 types of bedding with lower total coliform and Klebsiella counts in the lime and on the teat ends of cows using stalls bedded with lime. In a 3rd trial, freestalls were bedded with green sawdust, lime, washed concrete-grade sand or cellulose fiber from old newsprint. There were differences in total coliform and Klebsiella counts of these materials with the highest counts in sawdust and paper and with negligible numbers in lime and sand. Also, there were fewer organisms in paper bedding than in sawdust.