Microbial management of bedding and manure

SUMMARY

Animal bedding and manure, or slurry, harbor important microbial populations. Optimizing the balance of these microbial ecosystems represents a valuable approach to help maintain a safe environment for the animal while maximizing the agronomic value of the manure and helping manage the logistics of the farm’s organic waste. By selecting the optimal bacterial strains and enzymes, Lallemand Animal Nutrition developed a unique microbial solution: MANURE PRO. Understanding its mode of action and hearing feedback from on-farm experience confirm the value of this new tool for management of animal surrounding.  MANURE PRO shows benefits on three levels:  bedding quality, building environment and value of the organic waste.

Introduction: A new approach to animal production management

Nutrition, health and a clean animal environment are the three pillars to consider jointly for guaranteeing the quality of animal production. Today, it appears that the animal environment represents an important area for progress.

At Lallemand, we consider the farm as a sum of microbial ecosystems. The diet, the animal’s gut, the building and the organic waste all are complex microbial ecosystems. The balance among these ecosystems is essential. The company’s core expertise is to provide solutions that optimize those microbial communities. For example, probiotics positively impact the digestive microflora, which leads to enhanced digestion, performance and well-being.

In the same way, silage microbial additives help better control forage fermentation and preservation by orientating the microflora.

Why not apply this approach to the animals’ surrounding?

Animal bedding and manure, or slurry — and also the soiled floor surfaces — harbor important microbial populations. Optimizing the balance of these microbial ecosystems through building and bedding management represents a valuable solution to maintaining a safe environment for the animal while maximizing the agronomic value and the logistics of the farm’s organic waste.

MANURE PRO: Triple action manure treatment

1.1 What is MANURE PRO?

MANURE PRO is a highly concentrated combination of live lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Bacillus strains with cellulolytic enzymes, specifically formulated for bedding, manure and/or slurry treatment. The objective is to influence the microbial ecosystem of bedding/litter and animal manure/slurry to favor the development of positive fermentation.
As a result, the presence of bacteria that are potentially harmful for animals and/or humans — or responsible for the production of emissions like ammonia — is better managed. In addition, the agronomic value of organic waste is maximized due to nitrogen retention and better organic waste consistency.

1.2 How does it work?

The inoculation of the bedding and/or manure/slurry with a high concentration of beneficial bacteria, in combination with enzymes, promotes the development of a positive microflora. How?

• The enzymes work in complete synergy with the bacteria: They release fer

  

  mentable sugars from lignocellulosic materials in bedding such as straw or woodchips or from the organic waste.

• The microorganisms, LAB and Bacillus use these sugars as nutrients, allowing them to better grow.

The presence and the action of these specific bacteria positively redirect the fermentation within the bedding or manure. This is translated into benefits at three levels:

• Improved bedding microbial balance for a safer housing environment
• Better building environments with less ammonia and reduced odor emissions
• Greater value of the organic waste

1.3 What are the benefits on farm?

Using MANURE PRO helps producers to maintain a safe microbial environment for the animals with preserved bedding quality. As a result, the manure becomes a better soil enrichment product, and the slurry becomes a better fertilizing product for crops.

1.4 How is it applied?

MANURE PRO is a water dispersible powder with two possible application methods:

1. After dilution, it can be directly sprayed on bedding areas and/or on manure heaps and slurry pits.
2. It can be included as an active ingredient in bedding conditioners, such as absorbents, adding a positive microbial colonization to the bedding powder’s benefits. Lallemand Animal Nutrition may provide technical support to ensure compatibility between the live bacteria and the bedding carrier.

Product development: Selecting the right bacteria for optimal synergy

MANURE PRO is a combination of specific bacteria and enzymes, all of which were carefully selected in our laboratory for their properties and complementary effects.

2.1 Why use lactic acid bacteria?

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are recognized as safe and secure for the animals, humans and the environment. The strains we use have both Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) and Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) status. They are widely used in human and animal nutrition, for example, to ferment milk into yogurt or cheese, or to preserve forages into silage. Their main property is to transform simple sugars into lactic acid, which locally decreases environmental pH, creating an environment less favorable for the development of undesirable microorganisms. Moreover, the proteolytic activity of certain bacteria, which is responsible for ammoniac gaseous emissions, is also pH-sensitive.

Among the different LAB, Pediococci show superior osmotolerance, which ensures better survival under different conditions and, more specifically, in the presence of high concentrations of organic molecules in the environment, such as in manure or slurry. Several strains of Pediococci were selected from the Lallemand bacteria culture collection.

2.2 Why use Bacillus?

Bacillus is a bacteria genus with very interesting properties. Some of the bacilli species have been extensively used in agriculture as probiotics, plant growth promotors or in aquaculture for bioremediation.

The MANURE PRO formulation includes a Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain, a species having both the GRAS and QPS status. B. amyloliquefaciens has a strong ability to form a biofilm, helping to positively colonize surfaces such as mattresses in stalls and slatted floors.

It also produces several extracellular enzymes including α-amylases, cellulase and proteases, which are useful on bedding and waste materials for example. In addition, several bacilli species, including B. amyloliquefaciens, have demonstrated efficacy at removing odors such as ammonia or sulfur dihydrogen from slurry.

2.3 Choosing the right enzymes

The different cellulolytic enzymes present in MANURE PRO have the ability to release specific five- and six-carbon sugars from the complex sugars present in their environment. These can be further metabolized by the LAB and Bacillus strains.

Field testing and farmer feedback

3.1 Improving the bedding quality

In a dairy cow farm in the south of France, the regular application of MANURE PRO on the straw bedding in stalls and walking areas helped balance the microbial flora.

Farm situation:

• 73 dairy cows
• Stalls with chopped straw (250-300g/day/stall)
• Slurry scraping (pit)
• Need for regular mastitis treatment

Patrick Lacrampe, the farm manager, commented: “The use of MANURE PRO had a positive effect on the consistency of the slurry, which is now more fluid, hence easier to mix and pump from the pit. We also observed an increase of fertilizing nutrients, interesting for our crop management. Additionally, we noticed a lower somatic cell count in the milk, leading to lower mastitis risks. By improving the microbial environment where the cows are lying many hours per day, it helps to decrease the risk of environmental mastitis. We saw a significant reduction in mastitis vet product consumption and a reduction in time dedicated to the treatments.”

3.2 Reducing ammoniac emissions

In a dairy goat farm in the United States, the bedding treatment with MANURE PRO at set-up then every two weeks led to:

• Consistent reduction of ammonia during scrapping
• Reduction of NH₃ emissions during pen scrapping over a three-month trial
• Noticeably reduced smells as observed by the farmer and workers

Farm situation:

• 600 goats
• 4 pens
• Pen cleaning every month
• High NH₃ emissions following pen scrapping

Ron Tauscher, farm manager, explained: “We first conducted a trial comparing MANURE PRO treatment vs. non-treated pens. We observed consistent reductions of ammonia as compared to the control pen. In addition, the trucker who hauls away manure noticed less smell within the first two months.”

3.3 Maximizing manure value in a large dairy farm

MANURE PRO was used to treat the solid phase manure in a large dairy operation in the north of France, resulting in:

• A 30% reduction of the volume after four months in storage

• A stable product (lower C:N ratio), with higher levels of fertilizing elements (nitrogen and phosphorus)

•“Compost-like” aspect and odors

Farm situation:

• 775 dairy cows, scraping cubicles
• 90 to 100m³ manure/day
• 8,000 tons per year solid manure (after phase separation)

Michel Welter, farm manager, concluded: “At the end of the treatment period, the manure consistency is close to compost and ‘powdery,’ hence easier to spread in the fields. Crop management is simplified since we now have a good fertilization plan due to the homogenous repartition of the product, which is better valued. Moreover, the unpleasant odors have been replaced by an undergrowth-like smell, which is more pleasant for us but also for our neighborhood!”

Conclusion

Microbes are everywhere. The microbial environment of farm animals — from bedding material to manure — is key to good farm management, both in terms of animal welfare and the improved value of farm waste. It is an aspect that is often overlooked. Lallemand Animal Nutrition, through a combination of specific LAB, Bacillus and enzymes developed a unique solution, MANURE PRO. The product is able to influence microbial ecosystems to favor positive fermentations when applied on animal bedding or litter and on manure or slurry. Field experience confirms the benefits of MANURE PRO on three levels: maintenance of bedding quality, better building environments with less ammonia and odor emissions and enhanced value of the organic waste.

 Not all products are available in all markets nor associated claims allowed in all regions.

Lallemand Animal Nutrition is committed to optimizing animal performance and well-being with specific natural microbial product and service solutions. Using sound science, proven results and knowledge, Lallemand Animal Nutrition develops, produces and markets high value yeast and bacteria products ─ including probiotics, forage inoculants, and yeast derivatives. These innovative solutions positively benefit animal nutrition and well-being, forage management and animal environment. Lallemand offers a higher level of expertise, leadership and industry commitment with long-term and profitable solutions to move our partners Forward.  Lallemand Animal Nutrition is Specific for your Success.

For more information, please visit www.lallemandanimalnutrition.com

Local Contact for further information

Mohammad Khurshid Anwar

Country Manager

Lallemand Animal Nutrition

+8801700744592

kanwar@lallemand.com

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