Effects of bedding type on compost quality of equine stall waste: implications for small horse farms.

This research examined how different types of bedding material affected the compost quality of horse stall waste. The study found that straw-based materials may be better suited for composting and land application, but other factors such as cost and availability should also be considered.

Research Method and Tools

• The study involved 12 Standardbred horses adjusted to the barn environment for 2 weeks before the start of the research.
• These horses were bedded on one of four different types of bedding: wood shavings, pelletized wood, long straw, and pelletized straw.
• The horeses were on these beddings for 16 hours per day for a duration of 18 days. The researchers cleaned the stall daily and recorded the weight of the removed contents.
• The separated waste was then stored on a level covered concrete pad for the duration of the study.
• Three replicate compost piles for each bedding type were created in a randomized complete block design for the composting process. Each pile was equipped with a temperature sensor and data logger.
• The piles were managed by adding water and turned weekly for 100 days.
• Initial and final samples from the compost were taken, dried, and analyzed for various parameters such as Dry Matter (DM), Organic Matter (OM), inorganic nitrogen, electrical conductivity, and soluble nutrients.
• Subsequently, the data collected were analyzed using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure, and means were separated using Fischer’s protected LSD test.

Major Findings

• No significant temperature differences were found among the piles on different bedding materials.
• The composting process significantly reduced the DM and OM mass for each of the four bedding materials.
• Researchers observed a significant decrease in the carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio in all four bedding materials as a result of composting.
• The long straw compost had higher levels of total Kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrate-N, and ammonium-N compared to wood-shaving compost.
• The research deduces that the overall volume of manure could be greatly reduced using a simple aerobic composting system, allowing for a beneficial compost for land application in pasture-based systems.
• However, the study maintained that while straw-based materials might be better for composting, consideration must be given to factors such as suitability of bedding for horses, the cost of the material, labor, and availability when making a selection.