Aarnink, A.J.A.

Dooren, H.J.C., van

Galama, P.J.

Smits, M.C.J.

English

Name not available

Feasibility of different bedding materials in loose housing systems for dairy cows

Wageningen Yield 

Production technologies towards sustainability of livestock units 
   
 
FEASIBILITY OF DIFFERENT BEDDING MATERIALS IN 
LOOSE HOUSING SYSTEMS FOR DAIRY COWS 
 
Dooren H.J.C. van, Smits M.C.J., Aarnink A.J.A., Galama P.J. 
Wageningen UR Livestock Research, PO Box 65, 8200 AB, Lelystad, The Netherlands 
Email: HendrikJan.vanDooren@wur.nl. Telephone: +31 320 293436 
 
1 INTRODUCTION 
There is a growing interest amongst dairy farmers for new housing systems with improved cow comfort and less 
environmental impact. A loose housing system with an enlarged lying area for cows with soft bedding material like 
compost, sand or dried solid manure seems to be a promising solution. Although these systems are used in 
Minnesota (USA) and Israel, little is known about their environmental effects, particularly gaseous emissions and 
their behaviour under Dutch climate conditions. A research program commissioned by the Dairy Board and the 
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality was set up to study welfare implications and environmental 
effects of these housing systems under Dutch circumstances. The first phase of this program contained several 
studies. Two of them, Smits and Aarnink (2009) and Smits et al. (2009), are presented in this paper The aim of these 
studies was to determine the drying potential of different bedding materials under Dutch climate conditions using a 
model approach, and to determine ammonia emission from different bedding materials in laboratory experiments.  
 
2 MATERIAL AND METHODS 
2.1 Drying potential using a model approach 
Water evaporation from different bedding materials used as bedding material in loose housing systems for dairy 
cows was modeled. The beddings materials were a mixture of soft compostable, or non compostable materials with 
animal excreta. Two available models on composting and drying were combined: a composting model by 
Cekmecelioglu et al. (2005) and a model describing the evaporation of water by Gigler et al.(2000a and 2000b). The 
estimated water flux from urine and feces that is excreted on the bedding was integrated in the model approach. 
Models were integrated using MATLAB. Model calculations were performed to compare the order of magnitude of 
evaporation from the bedding area under climate conditions in the Netherlands, Israel and Minnesota (USA) at 
different airspeeds over the naturally ventilated bedding (0.08, 0.32, 1.28 and 5.12 m/s) and with 18 m2 available 
area per cows.  
2.2 Gaseous emissions  
The ammonia emissions of different bedding materials was measured in a laboratory set up. To represent non-
degradable materials rubber shavings and two types of sand (coarse and fine) were tested. The degradable materials 
included freshly produced separated manure (the solid fraction from a screw press), with and without an added 
mixture of sawdust and wood chips, composted  solids from a screw press and dewatered dredge from cleaning 
ditches in a peat soil area with a top layer of clay (see table 1). One week before the ammonia measurements, each 
of the bedding materials was mixed with fresh dairy cattle feces, urine and press screwed manure to get a quick 
simulation of the excreta accumulation in beddings in loose housing systems. The non degradable materials were 
subjected to two treatments differing in the amount of screw pressed manure that was added to simulate an on farm 
partly removal of feces from the beddings. After preparation the bedding-excreta mixtures were stored under well 
ventilated conditions. After one week they were brought to the laboratory and the material was put in cylindrical 
vessels. The degradable materials were also subjected to two treatments, compacted and not compacted to simulate 
an on farm situation with the bedding being loosened up by (mini) tractors. The compaction was performed after the 
material was put in the vessels and was comparable was comparable with a small tractor. Ammonia emission was 
measured in a laboratory set up (see figure 1) right after 75 ml urine was applied on material in the vessels to  
simulate a urination. 
 
 
 
 
Production technologies towards sustainability of livestock units 
   
 
TABLE 1 List of used non-degradable (1-6) and degradable (7-14) materials and applied treatments. 
Nr Sample Amount of feces Compacted 
1 Coarse sand Low No 
2 Fine Sand Low No 
3 Rubber shavings Low No 
4 Coarse sand Medium No 
5 Fine Sand Medium No 
6 Rubber shavings Medium No 
7 Press screwed manure High No 
8 Press screwed manure with sawdust and wood chips High No 
9 Composted press screwed manure High No 
10 Dredge High No 
11 Press screwed manure High Yes 
12 Press screwed manure with sawdust and wood chips High Yes 
13 Composted press screwed manure High Yes 
14 Dredge High Yes 
 
Two vessels with dairy slurry were measured as a reference, - one with the simulated urination (R1) and 
one without (R2). All ammonia emission measurements were done in duplicate and measured at 4, 24 and 72 hours.   
 
 
FIGURE 1 Overview (right) of experimental setup for measuring ammonia emissions and detail (left) of the 
lid of the vessel (=canister).  
 
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 
3.1 Drying potential 
Climate conditions in The Netherlands differ from those in Israel en Minnesota (USA). Figure 2 gives an overview 
of the average course of temperature and relative humidity over a year in Israel (Jerusalem), USA (Minnesota) and 
The Netherlands (De Bilt). 
 
FIGURE 2 Overview of monthly average dry bulb temperature and relative humidity in Israel (Jerusalem), 
Minneapolis (USA) and De Bilt (Netherlands). 
Production technologies towards sustainability of livestock units 
   
 
Temperatures in Israel are between 5.2 and 6.4oC higher than in The Netherlands. Temperatures in 
Minnesota are higher in summer and lower in winter compared to The Netherlands. Relative humidity in The 
Netherlands is always higher than in Minnesota and Israel. Climate conditions from months 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 were 
used as input for the composting and evaporation models. Results of the model calculations are given in Figure 3 
and 4. 
 
 
FIGURE 3 Modeled water evaporation (kg/m2) with composting for conditions in The Netherlands (left), 
Israel (middle) and Minnesota (right) at airspeeds of 0.08 m/s (0-12 months), 0.32 m/s (12-24 
months), 1.28 m/s (34-36 months) and 5.12 m/s (36-48 months). 
 
 
FIGURE 4 Modeled water evaporation (kg/m2) without composting in The Netherlands (left), Israel 
(middle) and Minnesota (right) at airspeeds of 0.08 m/s (0-12 months), 0.32 m/s (12-24 months), 
1.28 m/s (34-36 months) and 5.12 m/s (36-48 months). 
 
In The Netherlands, and without composting, it is only possible to balance the water input and 
evaporation during summer months at airspeeds of more the 5 m/s. Higher air speeds results in higher evaporation 
but also in a higher sensible and latent heat loss. That is why with composting the best results are achieved at an 
airspeed of only 0.08 m/s. However, the water input and evaporation are only balanced in summer months. A system 
to drain the excess of water seems inevitable. On farm pilot experiments with bedding materials and management 
are needed to test whether or not it is possible to keep the top layer of the bedding at an acceptable level of dryness 
under cold and moist Dutch weather conditions.  
3.2 Gaseous emissions 
Relative emission of ammonia after 4, 24 and 72 hours after the simulated urination for degradable and non-
degradable materials in the second replication is presented in figure 5. Emission after 72 hour of sample 13 is set to 
100%. Most of the ammonia was emitted during the first 24 hours after the application of urine. Emissions from 
non-degradable materials tends to be higher than degradable materials even when the emission seems not to be 
stable. The rubber shaving gave the lowest ammonia emission from the group of non degradable materials. 
Compacted degradable samples seems to have a higher emission than the non-compacted samples of the same 
material. This does not apply for the dredge sample that have an unexpectedly low ammonia emission both for the 
compacted and the non-compacted samples.  
 
Production technologies towards sustainability of livestock units 
   
 
  
FIGURE 5 Relative emissions (Sample 13=100%) of the different samples during the second experiment 4, 
24 and 72 hours after simulated urination for degradable (left) and non-degradable (right) 
materials. 
 
4 CONCLUSIONS 
Model calculations showed that to keep the bedding dry shows under Dutch climate circumstances composting is 
needed as a extra heat source. Without composting the moisture balance was negative. During composting the air 
speed should stay below 0.32 m/s to avoid the excessive loss of heat. The laboratory experiments showed that non-
organic bedding material resulted in a higher ammonia emission. Rubber shavings and dewatered peat dredge 
showed the lowest ammonia emission from non-organic and organic bedding materials respectively. Compacted 
bedding material resulted in a higher ammonia emission. Most of the ammonia was released in the first 24 hours 
after a simulated urination. The results of both modeling and laboratory experiments need validation during a pilot 
scale experiment in practice. Emissions should be measured on pilot scale as other factors like wind speed, area per 
cow, farmers management and spatial and temporal varieties of the bedding can influence the ammonia emission to 
a large extend. Results of both the modeling and the laboratory experiments gave enough reason to continue the 
project and start a pilot scale experiment.  
 
REFERENCES 
Cekmecelioglu D, Heinemann H, Demirci A, Graves R E 2005. Modeling of compost temperature and inactivation 
of Salmonella and E. Coli during windrow food waste composting. Transactions of the ASAE. Vol. 48(2): 
849-858. 
Gigler J K, van Loon W K P, Seres I, Meerdink G, Coumans WJ 2000a. Drying Characteristics of WillowChips and 
Stems. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research 77 (4): 391-400. 
Gigler J K, van Loon W K P, van den Berg JV, Sonneveld C, Meerdink G 2000b. Natural wind drying ofwillow 
stems. Biomass and Bioenergy 19 (3): 153-163. 
Smits MCJ, AJA Aarnink 2009. Water evaporation from bedding in dairy cattle free stall barns. A model approach. 
(In Dutch with English summary). Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen UR, Lelystad, 13 p. 
Smits MCJ, Dousma F, Kupers GCC, Blanken K 2009. Laboratory study of ammonia emission from bedding 
materials of free stall dairy cattle houses, (In Ducht with English summary). Animal Sciences Group, 
Wageningen UR, Lelystad, 18 p. 
 
 
 


Coumans WJ 2000a. Drying Characteristics of WillowChips and Stems.

Laboratory study of ammonia emission from bedding materials of free stall dairy cattle houses,

Modeling of compost temperature and inactivation of Salmonella and E. Coli during windrow food waste composting.

Natural wind drying ofwillow stems.

Water evaporation from bedding in dairy cattle free stall barns. A model approach.

Feasibility of different bedding materials in loose housing systems for dairy cows

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