Bedding Type Research Articles

The influence of bedding materials on bio-aerosol exposure in dairy barns

Bio-aerosol is a well-known cause of respiratory diseases. Exposure to bio-aerosols has been reported previously in dairy barns, but little is known about the sources of bio-aerosol. Bedding materials might be a significant source or substrate for bio-aerosol exposure. The aim of this study was to explore bio-aerosol exposure levels and its determinants in dairy barns with various bedding materials. Dust samples were collected at dairy barns using various bedding materials. Samples were analyzed for endotoxin and β(1 → 3)-glucan contents. Culturable bacteria and fungi were sampled by the Anderson N6 impactor. Exposure models were constructed using linear mixed models. The personal exposure levels to dust, endotoxin, and β(1 → 3)-glucan differed significantly between the barns utilizing diverse main bedding types (P<0.05), with the highest levels (GM: dust, 1.38 mg/m(3); endotoxin, 895 EU/m(3); β(1 → 3)-glucan, 7.84 μg/m(3)) in barns with compost bedding vs the lowest in barns with sawdust bedding (GM: dust, 0.51 mg/m(3); endotoxin, 183 EU/m(3); β(1 → 3)-glucan, 1.11 μg/m(3)). The exposure levels were also highly variable, depending on various extra bedding materials applied. Plant materials, particularly straw, utilized for bedding appeared to be a significant source for β(1 → 3)-glucan. Compost was significantly associated with elevated exposure levels. Between-worker variances of exposure were highly explained by determinants of exposure like type of bedding materials and milking by robot, whereas determinants could explain to lesser extent the within-worker variances. Exposure levels to endotoxin, β(1 → 3)-glucan, bacteria, and fungi in dairy barns were substantial and differed depending on bedding materials, suggesting bedding material types as a significant predictor of bio-aerosol exposure.

Factors associated with cattle cleanliness on Norwegian dairy farms

Animal cleanliness in dairy herds is essential to ensure hygienic milk production, high microbial quality of carcasses, good hide quality, and animal welfare. The objective of this study was to identify on-farm factors associated with dairy cattle cleanliness. The study also examined differences in risk factors and preventive factors between contrasting herds regarding cattle cleanliness. In total, 60 dairy herds, selected from a national database, were visited by 2 trained assessors during the indoor feeding period in February and March 2009. In Norwegian abattoirs, cattle are assessed and categorized according to hide cleanliness, based on national guidelines, using a 3-category scale. Dirty animals result in deductions in payment to farmers. “Dirty” herds (n=30) were defined as those that had most deductions in payment registered due to dirty animals slaughtered in 2007 and 2008. “Clean” herds (n=30) were those that had similar farm characteristics, but slaughtered only clean animals during 2007 and 2008, and thus had no deductions in payments registered. The dairy farms were located in 4 different areas of Norway. Relevant information, such as housing, bedding, feeding, and management practices concerning cleaning animals and floors, was collected during farm visits. In addition, the cleanliness of each animal over 1 yr of age (4,991 animals) was assessed and scored on a 5-point scale, and later changed to a dichotomous variable during statistical analysis. Milk data (milk yield and somatic cell counts) were obtained from the Norwegian Dairy Herd Recording System. Factors associated with dirty animals in all 60 herds were, in ranked order, high air humidity, many dirty animals slaughtered during the previous 2 yr, lack of preslaughter management practices toward cleaning animals, animal type (heifers and bulls/steers), housing (freestalls and pens without bedding), manure consistency, and lack of efforts directed toward cleaning the animals throughout the year. Additional factors associated with dirty animals in the dirty herds were water leakage from drinking nipples/troughs into lying areas, bedding type, and feed type. In the clean herds, additional risk factors were water leakage from drinking nipples/troughs and low milk yield.

Effect of Bedding Material on Dust and Ammonia Emission from Broiler Houses

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different bedding materials on fine dust (PM10 and PM2.5) and ammonia emissions from broiler houses. The effects on broiler performance and footpad lesions were also studied. The study was carried out in a mechanically ventilated broiler house with eight identical rooms, each accommodating 2260 broilers; it compromised two production cycles (rounds) of 35 days. The broilers were raised on four bedding materials: white wood shavings, chopped wheat straw, ground rapeseed straw, and silage maize. PM10, PM2.5, and ammonia concentrations and ventilation rates were measured. Production results and the incidence of footpad lesions were assessed. The results showed that compared with wood shavings, silage maize had 19% lower PM2.5 emission (p < 0.05). The PM2.5 emissions of silage maize were not different from those of wheat straw and rapeseed straw. Type of bedding had no effect on PM10 emission. PM2.5 mass was on average 4.8% of PM10 mass and increased with the age of the birds (p < 0.001). Ammonia emission from silage maize was 36% lower than from wood shavings, 47% less than from wheat straw, and 34% less than from rapeseed straw. Bedding material had no effect on broiler performance or on footpad lesions. It was concluded that silage maize can be a good alternative bedding to wood shavings and wheat straw in broiler houses.

Effect of bedding type and transient wetness on footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens

SUMMARY a high incidence of footpad dermatitis (FPD) is undesirable in broiler chicken production in terms of both animal welfare and profitability. Bedding type and bedding quality have been identified as possible causative agents of FPD. Four randomized block trials were conducted to determine whether bedding type and transient elevation in moisture influenced the incidence and severity of FPD in broiler chickens. in addition to broiler growth performance and litter moisture, the incidence and severity of FPD was assessed at different ages. the incidence of FPD was significantly increased when the litter moisture was increased by wetting at 14 d of age, but not when the broilers were older than 56 d of age. the severity of FPD was reduced with the improvements in bedding quality. Moreover, particle size of the litter had a direct effect on the occurrence of FPD. Wetting treatment and litter type had little influence on the live performance of broilers in 4 successive trials. From the standpoint of FPD etiology, litter moisture level and particle size may be crucial factors in the development of FPD. Similarly, FPD may be occurring early in the grow-out period, and subsequent improvements in litter quality could reverse the severity of lesions in market-age broilers.

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

Our objective in this study is to compare 4 of the most common bedding materials used by equine operations on the chemical and physical characteristics of composted equine stall waste. Twelve Standardbred horses were adapted to the barn and surrounding environment for 2 wk before the start of the study. Groups of 3 horses were bedded on 1 of 4 different bedding types (wood shavings, pelletized wood materials, long straw, and pelletized straw) for 16 h per day for 18 d. Stalls were cleaned by trained staff daily, and all contents removed were weighed and stored separately by bedding material on a level covered concrete pad for the duration of the study. Compost piles were constructed using 3 replicate piles of each bedding type in a randomized complete block design. Each pile was equipped with a temperature sensor and data logger. Water was added and piles were turned weekly throughout the 100-d compost process. Initial and final samples were taken, dried, and analyzed for DM mass, OM, inorganic nitrogen (nitrate-N and ammonium-N), electrical conductivity, and soluble (plant-available) nutrients. Data were analyzed using the GLM procedure, and means were separated using Fischer's protected LSD test (P < 0.05). No significant temperature differences were observed among the bedding materials. The composting process resulted in significant reductions (P < 0.05) in DM mass for each of the 4 bedding materials. The composting process resulted in significant reductions (P < 0.05) in OM and C:N ratio for all 4 bedding materials. The composted long straw material had greater concentrations of total Kjeldahl nitrogen (P < 0.05), nitrate-N (P < 0.05), and ammonium-N (P < 0.05) than the composted wood shavings. This study demonstrated that incorporating a simple aerobic composting system may greatly reduce the overall volume of manure and yield a material that is beneficial for land application in pasture-based systems. The straw-based materials may be better suited for composting and subsequent land application; however, factors such as suitability of the bedding material for equine use, material cost, labor, and availability must be considered when selecting a bedding material.

Evidence of internal-wave and internal-tide deposits in the Middle Ordovician Xujiajuan Formation of the Xiangshan Group, Ningxia, China

The Xujiajuan Formation of the Lower Xiangshan Group in Ningxia, China, is composed of grayish-green to yellowish-green, fine- to medium-grained sandstone, calcareous sandstone, siltstone, and shale. The upper part is thin-bedded limestone. At the top of the second and third members of the formation, a number of beds intercalated between turbidites and deep-water shale show well-developed cross-bedding. These beds are composed mainly of thin- to medium-bedded calcareous siltstone, fine-grained sandstone, fine-grained calcisiltitic limestone, and silty shale. All bedding types reflect traction-current action. The laminae of the bidirectional and unidirectional cross-bedded units tend to dip either opposite to or at a large angle to the regional slope. The units vary in shape and orientation in both upslope and downslope directions. A comprehensive evaluation of the sedimentary structures and inferred paleocurrents suggests that the cross-bedded intervals were not formed by contour currents or turbidity currents, but most probably represent internal-wave and internal-tide deposits.

Lithology and facies of the Burtasian and Khvalynian sediments in Manych

Results of study od the lithofacies structure of the Burtasian and Khvalynian sediments in the Manych Depression are discussed. The sediments are similar in the grain size and mineral compositions. They are mainly represented by clayey silt, as well as silty and sandy-silty clay with subangular fragments of crystalloclasts and lithoclasts. They are characterized by a low content of heavy fraction dominated by transparent minerals (apatite, garnet, biotite, chlorite, hornblende, and others). Ore minerals (limonite and magnetite) are subordinate. The Burtasian sediments are marked by thin-horizontal bedding. Bedding of the Khvalynian sediments is more diverse: horizontal, gentle-horizontal, and alternation with gentle crossbedded-diagonal (trough-like), crisscross-wavy, and other types of bedding. The lithological composition and fossil plant seeds found in the Burtasian and Khvalynian sediments make it possible to distinguish facies formed under calm (Burtasian) and calm flow (Khvalynian) hydrodynamic regimes of sedimentation in closed (lakes) and open (channels of the Khvalynian Strait) reservoirs.

Cage-change interval preference in mice

Before animal research facilities began using individually ventilated cage (IVC) systems for mice, cages were often changed one or more times per week. When using IVC systems, however, it is standard practice to change cages only once every 2-3 weeks. When deciding how often to change cages, personnel may consider the cost of labor needed to change the cage, as well as the cage type and bedding type, rather than animal preference or concern for animal well-being. The authors carried out a simple preference test in groups of mice. Mice were allowed to choose between an unsoiled cage and cages that had not been changed for 1 d, 7 d or 14 d. When evaluating where mice positioned their nests and the amount of time mice spent in the various cages, the authors found that the mice preferred the unsoiled cage. Younger mice (<150 d old) showed a stronger preference for the unsoiled cage than did older mice (>150 d old). Further studies are warranted to evaluate mice's preferences for cages changed at different intervals and to determine whether prolonging the interval between cage changes has any negative effects on mice.

Litter ammonia generation: Moisture content and organic versus inorganic bedding materials

Negative impacts on the environment, bird well-being, and farm worker health indicate the need for abatement strategies for poultry litter NH(3) generation. Type of bedding affects many parameters related to poultry production including NH(3) losses. In a randomized complete block design, 3 trials compared the cumulative NH(3) volatilization for laboratory-prepared litter (4 bedding types mixed with excreta) and commercial litter (sampled from a broiler house during the second flock on reused pine wood chips). Litters were assessed at the original moisture content and 2 higher moisture contents. Broiler excrement was mixed with pine wood shavings, rice hulls, sand, and vermiculite to create litter samples. Volumetrically uniform litter samples were placed in chambers receiving humidified air where the exhaust passed through H(3)BO(3) solution, trapping litter-emitted NH(3). At the original moisture content, sand and vermiculite litters generated the most NH(3) (5.3 and 9.1 mg of N, respectively) whereas wood shavings, commercial, and rice hull litters emitted the least NH(3) (0.9-2.6 mg of N). For reducing NH(3) emissions, the results support recommendations for using wood shavings and rice hulls, already popular bedding choices in the United States and worldwide. In this research, the organic bedding materials generated the least NH(3) at the original moisture content when compared with the inorganic materials. For each bedding type, incremental increases in litter moisture content increased NH(3) volatilization. However, the effects of bedding material on NH(3) volatilization at the increased moisture levels were not clearly differentiated across the treatments. Vermiculite generated the most NH(3) (26.3 mg of N) at the highest moisture content. Vermiculite was a novel bedding choice that has a high water absorption capacity, but because of high NH(3) generation, it is not recommended for further study as broiler bedding material. Controlling unnecessary moisture inputs to broiler litter is a key to controlling NH(3) emissions.

The effect of management system on mortality and other welfare indicators in Pennsylvania dairy herds

AbstractThe objective of this study was to identify farm characteristics that were associated with cow(Bos taurus)welfare outcomes, including mortality rate, culling by 60 days of lactation, survival to ≥ 6 years of age and ≥ 5th parity (aged cows), somatic cell score, milk yield, and milk composition. Data were collected on housing systems, feeding systems, pasture strategies, bedding type, labour management practices and other farm characteristics in face-to-face interviews with 314 Pennsylvania dairy herd owners where performance records were available. Five herd management systems were identified in the sample: free-stalls with complete confinement (n = 37); free-stalls that allowed outdoor access (n = 76); tie-stalls with complete confinement (n = 52); tie-stalls with outdoor access and that fed a total mixed ration (n = 72); and tie-stalls with outdoor access and that did not feed a total mixed ration (n = 77). Welfare outcomes were evaluated with multivariable linear regression models and marginal means were estimated for herd management system. Tie-stalls that allowed outdoor access and that did not feed total mixed rations had the lowest mortality rate (2.0%), culling in the first 60 days of lactation (5.1%), and the highest proportion of aged cows (13.8%). Those herds also had high lifetime-to-date milk yield, a low proportion of fat-protein inversions, and low somatic cell scores. Free-stalls with complete confinement had significantly higher levels of mortality (8.3%), culling in the first 60 days of lactation (9.7%), and fewer aged cows (6.4%). It was concluded that shifts toward more efficient herd management systems have not benefited cow health and welfare. This suggests that cow welfare has been compromised to facilitate the economic survival of dairy farms.

Late Quaternary sedimentation in the Paraíba Basin, Northeastern Brazil: Landform, sea level and tectonics in Eastern South America passive margin

Late Quaternary deposits in the northeastern Brazil have been scarcely investigated, despite their relevance to the discussion of the post-rift evolution of the South American passive margin within the context of landform, sea level and tectonic deformation. Sedimentological, stratigraphic and morphological characterization of these deposits, referred as Post-Barreiras Sediments, led to their distinction from underlying Early/Middle Miocene strata. Based on optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, two sedimentary units (PB1 and PB2) were recognized and related to the time intervals between 74.8±9.3 and 30.8±6.9ka, and 8.8±0.9 and 1.8±0.2ka, respectively. Unit PB1 consists of indurated sandstones and breccias either with massive bedding or complex types of soft sediment deformation structures generated by contemporaneous seismic activity. Unit PB2 is composed of massive sands or sands related to structures developed by dissipation of dunes. The present work, focusing on the Post-Barreiras Sediments, discusses landform, sea level and tectonics of the eastern South American passive margin during the latest Quaternary. Non-deposition and sub-aerial exposure related to the Tortonian worldwide low sea level combined with tectonic quiescence followed the Miocene transgression. Tectonic deformation in the latest Pleistocene created space to accommodate unit PB1 in downthrown faulted blocks and, perhaps, also synclines produced by strike–slip deformation. Although deposition of this unit was simultaneous with the progressive fall in sea level that followed the Last Interglacial Maximum, punctuated rises combined with land subsidence led to marine deposition close to the modern coastline. Renewed subsidence in the Holocene gave rise to accommodation of the Post-Barreiras Sediments. Most of unit PB2 was deposited during the Holocene Transgression, but it is not composed of marine sediments, which suggests either an insignificant rise in relative sea level or aeolian reworking of thin transgressive sands. The data presented here lead to a review of the evolution of the South American passive margin based on assumptions of uniform sedimentation and undeformed planation surfaces over a wide coastal area of the northeastern Brazil.

Subsurface lithofacies analysis of the Fluvial Early Permian Warchha Sandstone, Potwar Basin, Pakistan

The Early Permian Warchha Sandstone is well preserved in subsurface in the Potwar Basin and the Punjab Plain of Pakistan. However, this succession is only exposed in the Salt Range, and within this region, only a modest number of the many outcrops are of sufficient quality to enable the preparation of lateral and vertical log profiles. From the subsurface, data from five wells drilled in the Salt Range and Potwar Basin have been analysed. Although they are of restricted coverage, these subsurface data — which take the form of gamma ray logs and well cuttings — provide a valuable addition to the outcrop dataset of the Warchha Sandstone as they provide useful information about vertical textural changes, type and thickness of bedding and the nature of sandbody contacts with underlying strata. Overall, the Warchha Sandstone succession is composed of repeated fining-upwards cycles indicative of a meandering fluvial succession. Sub-components of each cycle are themselves classified into six subsurface sedimentary facies. Through comparison with outcropping parts of the succession, the origin and significance of these subsurface facies can be related to specific architectural elements within the meandering fluvial system responsible for generating the Warchha Sandstone succession.

Associations between cow hygiene, hock injuries, and free stall usage on US dairy farms

This cross-sectional study evaluated cow comfort measures in free stall dairies across the United States as part of the National Animal Health Monitoring System's Dairy 2007 study. The study was conducted in 17 states and evaluations were completed between March 5 and September 5, 2007. Assessors recorded hygiene and hock scores, number of cows housed in the pen, the number of cows standing with only the front feet in a stall, standing fully in a stall, and lying in a stall. Facility design measures included bedding type, bedding quantity, stall length and width, presence of a neck rail or brisket locator, and relevant distances from the rear and bed of the stall. Of the 491 operations that completed the cow comfort assessment, 297 had Holstein cows housed in free stalls and were included in this analysis. Negative binomial models were constructed to evaluate the following outcomes: the number of cows that were very dirty, had severe hock injuries, stood with front feet in the stall, stood with all feet in the stall, and were lying in the stall. Hygiene was better on farms that did not tail dock cows compared with those that did (5.7 vs. 8.8% were dirty) and on farms located in the study's west region compared with those located in the east region (5.2 vs. 9.7% were dirty). Severe hock injuries were less common on farms in the west than those in the east (0.5 vs. 4.1%). In addition, severe hock injuries were less common on farms that used dirt as a stall base or sand as bedding compared with farms that did not. A higher percentage of cows was standing with front feet in the stall at higher ambient temperatures (incidence rate ratio=1.016) and as time since feeding increased (incidence rate ratio=1.030). A lower percentage of cows were standing with front feet in the stall when the stalls were shorter and when there were fewer cows per stall. Standing fully in a stall was performed by a higher percentage of cows during the summer than during the spring (13.6 vs. 8.1%), when cows were provided free stalls with rubber mats or mattresses, and as the distance from the rear curb to neck rail increased. A higher percentage of cows were lying in a stall when sand bedding was used, when bedding was added more frequently, and during the spring months. Results of this national survey indicate that tail docking provides no benefit to cow hygiene and that stall base and bedding are key factors influencing hock injuries and stall usage on US free stall dairy farms.

The Correlation between Ammonia Emissions and Bedding Materials in a Cow House

Because ammonia from livestock production may substantially contribute to environmental pollution, emissions from all possible sources (housing systems, manure storage, manure application, outside grazing) should be reduced. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different bedding materials on ammonia emissions in a cow house. By applying a combination of four treatment types: treatment <TEX>$1-T_1$</TEX> (sawdust (50%)+sawdust pellets (50%)), treatment <TEX>$2-T_2$</TEX> (sawdust (50%)+corn stalk pellets (50%)), treatment <TEX>$3-T_3$</TEX> (sawdust (100%)), and treatment <TEX>$4-T_4$</TEX> (sawdust (50%)+palm kernel meal pellets(50%)) as bedding materials in a cow house, the effects of such treatments on ammonia flux were assessed in approximately one month. The magnitude of ammonia emissions (mg <TEX>$m^{-2}\;min^{-1}$</TEX>) varied in the following order: <TEX>$T_1$</TEX>(2.226), <TEX>$T_4$</TEX>(2.052), <TEX>$T_2$</TEX>(1.845), and <TEX>$T_3$</TEX>(1.712). The patterns of pH had a decreasing trend for all bedding treatments during the experiment, and there was no significant relationship with ammonia flux. The results reveal that the most important factor influencing ammonia emissions is the physical structure of the bedding types.

Behaviour of growing lambs housed on straw or woodchip bedding materials and their preference for floor type

Straw is widely used as a bedding material for housed sheep, but alternatives are needed in regions where straw is expensive or in short supply. The aim of this work was to compare time budgets, growth and food intake of growing, finishing lambs housed on either woodchip or straw bedding materials and also to evaluate the preferences shown by lambs when given a choice of bedding materials. One hundred and twenty-eight spring-born (approximately nine-month-old) Suffolk × Mule (Bluefaced Leicester × Welsh Speckled Face) and Charollais × Mule lambs (mean weight 35.3 ± 0.28 kg) were randomly allocated within breed, sex and weight range to pens of four lambs and housed on either woodchip or straw. They were fed hay and concentrates ad libitum over an eighteen-day period. Lying, standing and eating behaviours were observed at 15 min intervals over 24 h on days 7 and 14 after housing. On day 17 the lambs were moved to the alternative bedding material and were observed for a further 48 h to assess the effects on time budgets of a novel bedding material in a familiar housed environment. Over all days, the proportions of observations when lambs were either lying, standing, eating hay or eating concentrates were 0.69, 0.15, 0.07 and 0.06 respectively and there were no significant effects of bedding material ( P > 0.05). On the first day after a change to the novel bedding material, the proportion of observations when lambs were lying fell by 6% ( P < 0.001) with a parallel increase in standing behaviour, and a trend towards recovery to previous levels on the second day ( P < 0.05). Although there were significant effects of breed ( P < 0.001) and sex ( P < 0.05) on growth rate and food intake, bedding material did not affect animal performance ( P > 0.05). The 64 Suffolk × Mule lambs were then used in a preference test in which their use of bedding materials for various activities was observed every 15 min over four consecutive 12 h days. Lambs used woodchip as a bedding material when lying or standing almost twice as often as straw ( P < 0.001) but showed no preference between bedding types when eating hay or concentrates ( P > 0.05). There were no significant effects of either sex of lamb, day of observation or prior experience of the bedding materials on the preference for woodchip (all P > 0.05). It is concluded that woodchip is a suitable alternative bedding material to straw, that is preferred by lambs over straw and is unlikely to affect lamb performance through changes in the proportion of time spent lying, standing or eating.

Prevalence of gastric ulceration in Swedish Standardbreds in race training

There is little information about the prevalence of gastric ulcers in Standardbred trotters and potential correlations between ulcers and various traits, e.g. age, sex, performance, temperament and feeding regimens, need further elucidation. The prevalence of ulcers in the gastric squamous mucosa of Swedish Standardbreds was estimated and the associations between ulcer score and age, sex, performance, temperament and feeding regimens were determined. Eighty Swedish Standardbreds in active race training, trained by 9 different trainers, underwent gastroscopy. Information on age, gender, status of training, performance over the last 4 months compared with the trainer's expectations before that period, behaviour, eating habits, feed type, bedding type, time spent outdoors per day and medical treatment during the last month was collected. Gastroscopy was performed and lesions in the squamous gastric mucosa were scored from 0 to 4 (0 = no lesions; 4 = > 5 lesions with haemorrhage, > 10 lesions with no haemorrhage, or a large area of diffuse loss of surface epithelium). Twenty-four (30%) of the horses had no lesions in the squamous mucosa, 22 (27.5%) had a score of 1; 21 (26.2%) score 2; 9 (11.2%) score 3; and 4 (5%) score 4. Horses that were in preparatory training and those that had raced during the last month were significantly more affected than horses that were fit for racing but had not raced during the last month, using a logistic regression model with trainer incorporated as a random effect. The study confirmed a high prevalence of ulcers in the gastric squamous mucosa of Standardbreds in race training. Of the studied parameters only status of training showed a significant association with gastric ulcers of the squamous mucosa. Gastric ulceration is a common disease and diagnosis should be made by endoscopic examination of the gastric mucosa, since parameters such as age, gender, performance, behaviour, eating habits provide only weak clues as to which horses might be affected. Further studies are needed to determine the aetiology of the syndrome and to find ways to reduce, if possible, the frequency of gastric ulcers.

The Effects of Chronic Exposure to Common Bedding Materials on the Metabolic Rate and Overall Health of Male CD-1 Mice

Anecdotes and personal Web pages claim that cedar and pine beddings cause respiratory distress in rodents, although no previous research could be found to support these claims. There have, however, been published studies of respiratory distress in cedar and pine mill workers. That research links exposure to wood dust to asthma and to bronchial and alveolar damage in humans. This study looks at the effects of 3 types of bedding (CareFRESH®Original, cedar, and pine) on the growth, food intake, oxygen consumption, IgE antibody concentrations, and general appearance and behavior in male CD-1 mice. Mice who were housed on these beddings for approximately 4 months did not show significant differences in any of these variables. This suggests that these 3 materials provide equally healthy substrates for long-term rearing of mice and possibly other rodents.

Dampness and Moulds in Relation to Asthma Symptoms in Children: Results from Phase Two of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (Isaac Phase Two)

ISEE-0298 Introduction: Dampness and mould are thought to negatively affect respiratory health in children. We investigated the relation to asthma symptoms and possible effect modifiers in a large international study. Methods: A cross-sectional study of approximately 25000 children was carried out in 22 centres in 17 countries worldwide. Random samples (n = 1000) of 8 to 12 year old children were studied using standardized parental questionnaires with detailed questions on asthma symptoms and potential risk factors including “damp spots” and “visible moulds or fungus” on the walls or ceiling. In addition, standardized protocols were applied for skin prick testing to assess atopic sensitization. Odds ratios (OR) for each centre and combined estimates from meta-analysis random effects models were calculated. Results: “Damp spots” and “moulds” in the first year of life and at present were significantly associated with wheeze in the past year (combined crude and adjusted ORs from 1.60 to 1.79). The effect did not vary by skin prick test positivity or parental allergic disease. The crude OR for damp spots but not for moulds was significantly higher (P = 0.028) among children that used feather bedding in their first year of life (OR: 2.64; 95%CI: 1.81 to 3.86) compared to children using blankets only (OR: 1.68; 95%CI: 1.38 to 1.85). After adjustment for age, sex, parental allergic disease and maternal education, significance was lost (P = 0.17; ORs of 2.23 and 1.60, respectively). The presence of double glazing compared to single glazing did not influence the effect of either moulds or damp spots. Conclusions: These results confirm that self reported dampness and moulds are associated with an increased risk of asthma symptoms. Atopy, parental allergic disease and type of window did not modify the observed associations. Initially observed differences between types of bedding might be confounded by parental disease and maternal education.

Barley Yield and Nutrient Uptake for Soil Amended with Fresh and Composted Cattle Manure

Limited research exists on the long‐term effect of fresh (FM) versus composted manure (CM) from beef cattle on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) yield and nutrient uptake. Barley was grown (1999–2007) as silage on an irrigated clay loam soil in southern Alberta where organic amendments and fertilizer were annually applied for 9 yr in the fall of 1998 to 2006. The treatments were three rates (13, 39, 77 Mg ha−1 dry wt.) of FM or CM containing either straw or wood‐chip bedding, one inorganic fertilizer treatment, and a nonfertilized control. Nine years of annual application of FM and CM resulted in similar aboveground dry matter yield, and total N and total P uptake compared with inorganic fertilizer. However, apparent nitrogen recovery (ANR) and phosphorus recovery (APR) were significantly lower for FM and CM (5–9%) than inorganic (22–47%). Barley dry matter yield, ANR, and APR were similar for FM and CM. Manure type influenced N and P uptake, but the effects varied with bedding type and year. The N and P uptake were greater for CM with straw than the other three treatments except FM with straw. The DM yield was similar for straw and wood bedding, but ANR was greater for straw (10%) than wood (7%). Bedding influenced N uptake, P uptake, and APR, but the effects varied with manure type, rate, and year. Based on the results of this study, producers converting from FM to CM, or from straw to wood‐chip bedding, should suffer no loss in barley silage production.

Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility in weakly deformed red beds from the Wyoming salient, Sevier thrust belt: Relations to layer-parallel shortening and orogenic curvature

Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) and structural studies of red beds in the Wyoming salient were completed to evaluate relations of magnetic fabrics to layer-parallel shortening and vertical-axis rotation in curved fold-thrust systems. The red beds display cleavage, fractures, veins, minor folds, and minor faults that accommodated widespread early layer-parallel shortening and minor strike-parallel extension. Magnetic susceptibility is carried mostly by paramagnetic phyllosilicates and ferromagnetic hematite that have composite fabrics related to sedimentary deposition, diagenesis, and tectonic processes. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility fabrics range from distinctly oblate ellipsoids parallel to bedding that reflect dominant sedimentary fabrics (type 1), to moderately oblate ellipsoids with weak magnetic lineations roughly parallel to the intersection of weak layer-parallel shortening fabrics and bedding (type 2), to triaxial and prolate ellipsoids with distinct magnetic lineations parallel to the intersection of moderate layer-parallel shortening fabrics and bedding (type 3). Type 1 sites occur mostly in the central, frontal part of the salient where layer-parallel shortening is <5%, whereas type 3 sites are found mostly in more interior thrust systems and toward the salient ends where layer-parallel shortening is >15%. Magnetic lineations are subparallel to structural trend and exhibit a tangential pattern around curved fold-thrust systems. Regional patterns of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility are broadly similar to patterns of finite strain estimated from reduction spots. Combined with paleomagnetic data, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility data indicate that early layer-parallel shortening fabrics started with minor primary curvature and then underwent significant vertical-axis rotation during large-scale thrusting. Correlations with finite strain, structural, and paleomagnetic data sets indicate that analysis of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility in weakly deformed red beds is useful for evaluating kinematic evolution of thrust systems.