The Milk Producer - December 2008 - (Page 32)

RUMINATIONS By Harold House Calculating value Now you can figure out the fertilizer value of compost bedding pack when doing nutrient management plans ompost bedding pack barns have become an interesting alternative to traditional loose housing systems for several Ontario dairy producers. They like the increased comfort and freedom this housing gives their cows. The increased interest in compost bedding pack has led to the need for information in many areas, including the fertilizer value of the compost pack. If you have adopted this type of bedding, recent Minnesota research has addressed this and other questions that come up when you do nutrient management planning. One study, by A.E. Barberg, quantified parameters used in 12 compost bedding pack barns in the state. These included barn dimensions, pack size and ventilation, as well as the characteristics of the pack itself, such as moisture content, temperature and nutrient content. Another study, by K.A. Janni, conducted on C Producers like the comfort and freedom compost bedding pack provides. six Minnesota CBP barns dealt with recommendations for layout and management, but also included pack parameters. More recent work by Michael Russelle was intended to improve some of the data collection methods used in the earlier studies. Russelle’s study collected samples from eight compost bedding pack barns in late September 2006. A soil auger designed to sample wet soils was used to remove the samples from the pack. At least six locations were sampled in each pack, including near the outside and interior retaining walls, and the pack centre. A certified commercial laboratory analysed the samples. Herd sizes in the Russelle study ranged from 38 to more than 200 milking cows. Pack space varied from 60 to 90 square feet per cow. Cows were confined in six of the barns, while animals in the other two had access to pasture. All the producers used wood chips or sawdust for bedding, with sources varying from ground particle board Ruminations is prepared by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs livestock technology specialists to provide information you can use on your farm. 32 | December 2008 | MilkPRODUCER

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - December 2008

The Milk Producer - December 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
DFC Promotion
Industry Roundup
Research
Seven Issues That Matter
Ruminations
Applied Science
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

The Milk Producer - December 2008