Abstract:
The high concentration of airborne particles in straw-based pig shelters (Banhazi et al. 2000) and horse stables, and the negative effects of these pollutants on animal health, welfare and productivity are a concern for livestock managers. The potentially harmful effects of airborne particles on human health are also well documented (Donham et al. 1986). It has been demonstrated in previous studies, that dust levels can be reduced in deep-bedded systems by impregnating the bedding material with canola oil (Banhazi et al. 1999), however finding the optimal inclusion rate under controlled conditions, has not been studied. The effects of different percentage of canola oil used for impregnating different bedding materials on the concentration of airborne particles inside specially designed 'shaker-boxes' were studied.