Chemical, physical, and environmental properties of pelleted newspaper compared to wheat straw and wood shavings as bedding for horses.

This research article focuses on comparing the effectiveness of using pelleted recycled newspaper to that of using wheat straw and kiln-dried pine wood shavings as bedding materials for horses. It finds that each material presents unique management challenges and benefits, however, the researchers suggest that using recycled newspaper has high potential as a bedding material.

Experimental Procedures

• Two experiments were performed to measure the comparative effectiveness and properties of pelleted recycled newspaper (PN), wheat straw (S), and kiln-dried pine wood shavings (WS) as bedding materials for horses.
• In the first experiment, eight boxstalls each housing one horse was bedded with two types of PN, S, and WS over a series of 5-day periods. This experiment involved heavy initial bedding followed by minimal maintenance to challenge the bedding materials.
• The second experiment involved nine boxstalls bedded with PN, S, and WS over three 14-day periods during summer and autumn. This second experiment simulated commercial conditions with daily removal of feces and wet spots and addition of clean bedding to maintain a working volume.

Results and Observations

• The size or quantity of daily additions of clean bedding varied significantly with the material type with S needing more replacement than WS and PN.
• Both PN and WS had higher water-holding capacity compared to straw, leading to fewer bedding replacements.
• The use of each material was significantly greater during the autumn season with the greatest increase observed for PN.
• PN bedding had the highest pH, which increased with use, while S had the lowest pH.
• Bedding material and seasonality influenced bedding environment with higher concentrations of breathable ammonia nitrogen observed in stalls bedded with PN, particularly during autumn due to the higher pH of used PN and decreased ventilation.
• Season, type of bedding, and duration of use significantly affected the number and species of microorganisms present in the breathing zone, nasal cavity, and on the leg of the horse.
• Stalls bedded with WS, both clean and used, contained greater quantities of particle fines compared to that of PN, however, the particle fines in PN increased after 5 days of use.
• The quantity of breathable dust during stall cleaning varied significantly with the material and duration of use; PN peaked on day 7, S continually decreased, while WS continued to increase through day 14.

Conclusion

• The study concluded that the management of bedding materials depends on the type of material and the season. Pelleted newspaper, despite its higher pH and potential for dust, exhibits high potential as an efficient and sustainable bedding material due to its water-holding capacity and reduced need for frequent replacements.