Comparison of the effect of different management strategies on the quality of recycled sand used for bedding in free stalls in southeastern Pennsylvania

Abstract

The effect of different management strategies on dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and bacterial populations in newly recycled sand (RS) were compared on three commercial dairy farms in southeastern Pennsylvania during late spring and summer. DM increased by 0.98%, OM decreased by 0.05%, and bacterial numbers were not different comparing arranging RS into one windrow and turning 3 times to forming a static pile. RS stored outside had fewer coliform bacteria compared to when stored inside under cover. RS should be stored for a minimum of 22 days before placement back into the cow stalls to minimize the numbers of bacteria associated with mastitis.