1. #T091 Assessment of the Potential for Compost Bedded Pack Barns in
Sustainable Organic Dairy Farming Systems
H.A. Mussell1, J.L.Taraba2, K.L.Jacobsen3, and J.M.Bewley1
1University of Kentucky Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Lexington, KY
2University of Kentucky Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Lexington, KY
3University of Kentucky Department of Horticulture
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
Compost bedded pack barns (CBP) take full advantage of composting
and manure management to provide a clean, comfortable environment for
cows. Although most CBP research has been conducted on conventional
dairy farms, organic dairy farms could also benefit from CBP due to
increased cow comfort, natural airflow, and manure storage. To assess
the potential for CBP use on organic dairy farms, a survey was distributed
to organic dairy producers across the United States. Forty-one surveys
were returned. Mean herd size (mean ± SD) was 89.06 ± 70.54 cows.
Mean SCC was 182,030 ± 65,195 cells/mL. Twenty-nine percent of
producers housed their milking herds in a straw bedded pack, 18% used
CBP tilled daily, 16% used CBP that were not tilled daily, 16% used free
stalls, 13% used a year-round pasture based system, and 8% used tie
stall barns. Forty-four percent of herds spent 19 to 23 h on pasture/d.
Thirty-nine percent spent an average of 12 h/d on pasture. Seventeen
percent of herds spent 24 h/d on pasture. The number of months that
cows spent in a housing system for 24 h/d ranged from > 4 months (25%),
3 to 4 months (17%), < 2 months (14%) or never in a housing system
(17%). Organic dairy producers evaluated how effectively CBP, tie stalls,
freestalls, straw-based bedded packs and pasture systems meet the
needs of organic dairy herds by using a scale of 1 to 5 (1: poorly meets
the needs of organic dairy herds and 5: well-suited for meeting the needs
of organic dairy herds). Compost bedded pack barns (4.15 ± 0.70) were
the highest ranked system, followed by straw bedded packs (3.97 ± 0.82),
free stalls (3.53 ± 0.86), pasture based systems (3.32 ± 1.36), and tie-
stalls (2.91 ± 1.19). Using a scale of 1 to 5 (1: strongly disagree and
5:strongly agree), benefits of the CBP were ranked as access to shade
(4.56 ± 0.50), shelter (4.60 ± 0.50), cow comfort (4.54 ± 0.61), access to
fresh air (4.30 ± 0.85), ventilation (4.32 ± 0.84), access to exercise areas
(4.27 ± 0.84), and available access to outdoors (4.00 ± 0.89). Compost
bedded pack barns appear to be a viable housing option for organic dairy
farms.
• The key component of a CBP barn is a large, open resting area
generally bedded with sawdust or dry, fine wood shavings which
creates a fluffy, comfortable environment for the cows to lay in.
• Compost bedded pack barns fit within the practice of organic dairy
farming by relying on a natural process (composting) to produce a
comfortable environment for lactating dairy animals that maximizes cow
comfort and longevity and minimizes mastitis and other health
problems.
• Organic dairy farmers must abide by certain organic regulations for
raising livestock. Specific guidelines apply to housing and livestock
living conditions:
USDA’s National Organic Program organic regulations: 7 CFR
Section §205.239 Livestock living conditions:
• An organic dairy farming producer must provide year-round access for
all animals to the outdoors, shade, shelter, exercise areas, fresh air,
clean water for drinking, and direct sunlight, suitable to the species, its
stage of life, the climate, and the environment.
• Producer must provide appropriate clean, dry bedding.
• Shelter must be designed to allow for:
(i) Natural maintenance, comfort behaviors, and opportunity to
exercise;
(ii) Temperature level, ventilation, and air circulation suitable to
the species; and
(iii) Reduction of potential for livestock injury;
• “The producer of an organic livestock operation must manage manure
in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or
water by plant nutrients, heavy metals, or pathogenic organisms and
optimizes recycling of nutrients.”
• With proper management, compost bedded pack barns have the
potential to improve cow comfort, locomotion, and cleanliness.
• Reported benefits of these barns include improved cow comfort,
longevity, heat detection, and production along with reduced somatic
cell counts (SCC), culling rates, lameness, and fly populations.
Figure 2: Percent of day spent on pasture
17%
44%
36%
3%
24 hours per day
19-23 hours per
day
13-18 hours per
day
8-12 hours per day
Figure 3: Number of months respondents keep
their cows indoors for 100% of the day (%)
17%
14%
17%25%
27%
They are never in a housing
system and stay on pasture
year round
1-2 months
3-4 months
>4 months
Other:
Figure 5: Mean ranking of respondent beliefs as to how well
specific housing systems suit organic dairies using a scale of 1
to 5 (1 = least suited and 5 = best suited)
3.97 4.15 3.23 3.53 2.91
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
Straw bedded
pack barns
Compost bedded
pack barns
No housing;
pasture all year
round
Freestalls Tie stall/stanchion
Meanranking
Housing system
Figure 4: Average ranking of the benefits of compost bedded
pack barns using a scale of 1 to 5 (1= strongly disagree and 5 =
strongly agree)
Reason % in total surveys
returned (n = 16)
Cow comfort 31.25%
Nutrient management 25.00%
Allows for natural behavior 18.25%
Winter housing 12.50%
Compost is a valuable resource on organic farms 6.25%
Providing shade in hot weather 6.25%
Table 1: Summary of survey respondent reasons for
why compost bedded pack barns fit within organic
dairy standards
Figure 1: Housing system used by responding
herds (%)
29%
18%
16%
16%
13%
8% Bedded pack (straw
housing)
Compost bedded pack
barns not tilled daily
Compost bedded pack
barns tilled daily
Free stall barn
MATERIALS AND METHODS
• The survey was administered online to organic dairy producers using Qualitrics®
(Provo, Utah).
• The survey was available from September 2013 to June 2014.
• Links to the online survey were distributed through e-mail and written publications.
• Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel (Redmond, Washington)
• Questions considered for analysis involved:
- How many adult cows (milking and dry) in the respondent’s herd
- Average annual SCC count
- Type of housing they currently use for their milking herd
- Whether or not compost bedded pack barns fit within the organic dairy standards
with an open ended section asking an explanation as to how or why they fit or do
not fit within organic dairy standards
- How many hours per day the respondent’s cows spend on pasture
- How many months out of the year the herd stays in a housing system for 100% of
the day
- How well straw bedded pack barns, compost bedded pack barns, pasture year
round, freestalls and tie-stalls/stanchion barns suit organic dairies? Respondents
were asked to rank each housing system as 1 to 5 (1 = least suited and 5 = best
suited) in terms of how well they suit organic dairies.
- Based on their knowledge of compost bedded pack barns, the respondents were
asked to rank the efficiency of compost bedded pack barns in meeting the USDA
requirements mentioned earlier in the introduction on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = strongly
disagree and 5 = strongly agree).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
• Forty-one surveys were returned between November 2013 and April 2014.
• Twenty-nine percent of producers housed their milking herds in a straw bedded pack, 18%
used CBP tilled daily, 16% used CBP that were not tilled daily, 16% used free stalls, 13%
used a year-round pasture based system, and 8% used tie-stall barns.
• Forty-four percent of herds spent 19 to 23 h on pasture/d. Thirty-nine percent spent an
average of 12 h/d on pasture. Seventeen percent of herds spent 24 h/d on pasture.
According to organic guidelines, cows must spend at least 120 days on pasture/y. The
number of months that cows spent in a housing system for 24 h/d ranged from > 4 months
(25%), 3 to 4 months (17%), < 2 months (14%) or never in a housing system (17%). Since
most herds didn’t spend 100% of the year on pasture (Figures 2 and 3), CBP could be
useful as an alternative housing system by providing a similar environment to pasture with
a large, open area; allowing cows the freedom to choose where they lay, and providing
comfort by not requiring cows to fit into stalls.
• All respondents indicated that if managed properly, CBP could fit within organic dairy
farming standards. Reasons behind the fit included cow comfort (31.25%), nutrient
management (25%), allowing for natural behaviors (18.75%), winter housing (12.50%),
compost acts as a valuable resource on organic farms (6.25), and provides shade in the
hot weather (6.25%).
• Benefits of the CBP were ranked on a scale of 1 to 5 as access to shade (4.56 ± 0.50),
shelter (4.60 ± 0.50), cow comfort (4.54 ± 0.61), access to fresh air (4.30 ± 0.85),
ventilation (4.32 ± 0.84), access to exercise areas (4.27 ± 0.84), and available access to
outdoors (4.00 ± 0.89).
• When respondents were asked to rank each housing system as least suited or best suited
(Figure 5), CBP were ranked best suited (4.15 ± 0.70).
CONCLUSIONS
• Compost bedded pack barns are becoming more popular within in the organic dairy farming industry
and appear to be a viable housing option for organic dairy farms.
• The benefits of compost bedded pack barns that the respondents ranked could influence milk
production and cow performance, thus influencing economic gains.
• The results from this survey indicates that CBP can fit within organic standards due to the ranking of
benefits of CBP (Figure 4) which directly correspond to the requirements of livestock conditions
described in USDA’s National Organic Program organic regulations: 7 CFR Section §205.239.
• The study indicates that organic dairy producers using a housing system for at least a couple
months out of the year could benefit from using CBP as their alternative housing system.
• Despite the only 18% of respondents that currently house their cows in a CBP, CBP were still ranked
as the best suited housing system for organic dairies (4.15 ± 0.70).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to thank Organic Valley for sponsoring this research. We would
also like to thank University of Kentucky Qualitrics survey software for providing
the materials to create and distribute the survey.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Provides shelter
Access to shade
Shelter allows for natural comfort behaviors
Shelter allows adequate ventilation and air
circulation
Access to fresh air
Access to exercise areas
Access to outdoors
Appropriate, clean bedding
Access to direct sunlight
Access to pasture
Shelter designed to allow neutral maintenance
Mean Rankings Title