How to improve stable hygiene in the summer

The higher temperatures in the summer provide additional challenges in terms of barn hygiene. The combination of heat and moisture forms an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, fungi and flies. Especially in cubicles, deep litter barns and calf pens, smouldering can occur, which has consequences for the health of dairy cows and calves.

In this blog we explain the risks of poor barn hygiene in the summer, the consequences this can have for animal health and milk production, and give three practical tips to keep your barn clean and dry during warm periods. With the help of the right barn bedding and smart choices you can prevent many problems.

Summer as a risk season for stable hygiene
When temperatures rise, the activity of bacteria and other micro-organisms also increases. In the warm and often humid environment of a cubicle or deep litter barn, bacteria can multiply rapidly, especially if the litter is not dry enough. At temperatures above 20 degrees and high humidity, an ideal breeding ground can develop. For bacteria to multiply, moisture, nutrients (organic matter) and temperature are always required. This applies to cubicles, deep litter barns and calf pens.

Tip 1: Choose litter with at least 60% dry matter
The basis for a hygienic stable starts with the right bedding. An important factor here is the dry matter content. The higher this percentage, the less moisture the litter contains and the less attractive the environment becomes for bacteria.

The rule of thumb is simple: use bedding with minimum 60% dry matter. This is the limit at which the litter is dry enough to absorb moisture from urine and manure without becoming too wet itself. However, drier is always better.

Our custom-made bedding have a dry matter content of at least 75%, which gives them good hygienic properties. This means:

• Faster absorption of moisture, so less chance of wet spots.
• Less brooding in boxes and stables.
• Less odor formation, which also reduces the attraction of flies.

By choosing a stable bedding with a high dry matter content, you prevent the bedding itself from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. Combine this with regular bedding and you keep your cattle's resting areas clean, dry and healthy.

Tip 2: Reduce brooding in cubicles and calf pens with a pelleted product
Potting sheds are a challenge in the summer. Due to the accumulation of organic material (straw, manure and urine) and limited ventilation, the temperature in the pot can rise considerably. This causes brooding: a microbiological process that generates heat. In some cases, the temperature of a potting shed can rise to 60 degrees. In addition to bacterial growth, this is also the ideal environment for flies and maggots.

The alternative? Pelleted litter. This litter absorbs 2,5 times more moisture than traditional straw and remains demonstrably cooler. Measurements show that pelleted litter becomes up to 16 degrees cooler than a comparable layer of wheat straw. This lower temperature has several advantages:

• Less brooding, so less bacterial activity.
• Less fly nuisance, because the brooding heat that attracts flies is missing.
• Lower chance of maggots, which develop rapidly in warm, humid conditions.

See below the difference in temperature between a deep litter stable with mountain grain pro.

Pelleted litter is also suitable for use in calf hutches. Calves are more sensitive to heat stress and bacterial infections, so cool and dry litter is very important. In the image below you can see a clear difference between a calf hutch with straw compared to the Bergkorrel Pro. You can see the maggots crawling between the straw and in the calf hutches with the Bergkorrel pro they are not present.

Tip 3: Add lime or FX minerals for extra hygiene
In addition to choosing the right basic litter, you can further improve the hygienic functioning of the bed by adding up of FX Minerals. These substances are inorganic in nature and do not contain nutrients for bacteria. As a result, they do not contribute to bacterial growth. They also have a neutralising effect: lime in particular increases the pH value of the lounger, making the environment less acidic. And it is precisely in a less acidic environment that pathogens such as bacteria and fungi have much more difficulty developing. At Berg we have an extensive range of litter with lime or FX mineralsAll our litters are custom mixed and available in different ratios, with or without water, so that the mixture suits the situation and barn climate of the farmer.

Would you like personal advice on which litter best suits your situation? Contact us for a custom litter that suits your company and the season.