Enhanced udder health and milk yield of dairy cattle on compost bedding systems during the dry period: A comparative study

Housing and, specifically, bedding are of utmost importance for health, productivity and longevity of dairy cattle. "Compost bedding" (CB) is an alternative way of loose-housing that is currently being implemented in many regions world-wide. It has verifiable positive effects on lactating cows, and it can be expected to be beneficial also for dried cows. The objective of the present study was to analyze the possible benefits of applying a CB system during the dry-period for the health (udder and uterine health), and for reproductive and productive performance during the following lactation of mature cows when compared to cows allocated on straw bedding. A total of 423 Holstein cows were randomly distributed at drying-off into a CB-Group (n=242) and a straw-bedded group (S-group; n=181). After calving, the management was the same for all cows. Data on milk yield, pregnancy after first insemination (P/FAI), somatic cell counts (SCC), incidence of clinical mastitis, metritis and cytological endometritis, and mortality/culling rate were recorded. While no differences in P/FAI and mortality rate, nor in the incidence of clinical metritis or endometritis between groups were detected, there did emerge positive effects of CB-systems on udder health [lower incidence of the first mastitis-cases, 22.1 vs. 35%; P=0.004, of second-mastitis cases, 6.8 vs. 15%; P=0.009, and a positive tendency in SCC (96.1 +/- 135.2 vs. 139.5 +/- 242.6 cells/L; P=0.08)]. Moreover, increased milk yield/cow during the first 100 days of the following lactation (3778 +/- 887 vs. 3538 +/- 991 L/lactation; P=0.011) and milk yield/day-in-milk (38.38 +/- 7.3 vs. 36.70 +/- 7.5 L/d; P=0.022) were observed. These findings, added to the saving of straw costs and waste disposal, encourage the implementation of CB-systems in dairy farms. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.