Reducing Respiratory Health Risks to Horses and Workers: A Comparison of Two Stall Bedding Materials

Abstract

Simple SummaryIn this study, the effect of wood shavings and peat was examined on stable air quality and health of horses and stable workers. The ammonia level in the boxes in which peat was used as bedding was non-existent or very low. The respiratory symptoms in horses increased regardless of the bedding material at the beginning of the study. The health status of the horses on peat bedding returned to the initial level in the end of the trial but horses in stalls bedded with wood shavings continued to be symptomatic. The hooves of the horses in stalls with peat bedding had a better moisture content. The results suggest that peat is a better bedding material for horses and people working or visiting horse stables than wood shavings.AbstractStable air quality and the choice of bedding material are an important health issue both in horses and people working or visiting horse stables. Risks of impaired respiratory health are those that can especially be avoided by improving air quality in the stable. The choice of bedding material is particularly important in cold climate conditions; where horses are kept most of the day and year indoors throughout their life. This study examined the effect of two bedding materials; wood shavings and peat; on stable air quality and health of horses. Ammonia and dust levels were also measured to assess conditions in the stable. Ammonia was not detected or was at very low levels (<0.25 ppm) in the boxes in which peat was used as bedding; but its concentration was clearly higher (1.5–7.0 ppm) in stalls with wood shavings as bedding. Personal measurements of workers revealed quite high ammonia exposure (5.9 ppm8h) in the boxes in which wood shavings were used; but no exposure was observed in stalls bedded with peat. The respiratory symptoms in horses increased regardless of the bedding material at the beginning of the study. The health status of the horses in the peat bedding group returned to the initial level in the end of the trial but horses bedded with wood shavings continued to be symptomatic. The hooves of the horses with peat bedding had a better moisture content than those of the horses bedded with wood shavings. The results suggest that peat is a better bedding material for horses than wood shavings regarding the health of both horses and stable workers.

Garlic (Allium Sativum) Supplementation Improves Respiratory Health but Has Increased Risk of Lower Hematologic Values in Horses

“…The average temperatures and humidity of the stable air in November, December and January are presented in Table 1. These temperatures were mainly within the target indoor temperature range (8–12 °C) in Finland, corresponding also to those reported for the winter months in the same stables in a previous study dealing with stable air quality [22]. However, on three days in December and one day in January, rather low stable temperatures (3–4 °C) were observed.…”

“…Twelve Finnhorse mares (aged 5 to 17 years, weighing 595 to 710 kg) were housed in a box stable with an automatic ventilation system in individual stalls (3 m × 3 m) and peat as bedding. The peat was manufactured for use as bedding in horse stalls (Vapo Ltd., Jyväskylä, Finland), and was chosen to be used as bedding because of its beneficial effects on stable air quality [22]. The horses had been stabled in the same stable since they were taken indoors from pastures at the beginning of September.…”

“…The experimental design was a randomized block design with repeated measurements. After the first endoscopy, the horses were formed into pairs based on matched health status and upper respiratory tract characteristics as determined by the endoscopy (symptomatic similarity), as reported in our earlier study [22]. The two horses of each pair were then allotted to an experimental group and a control group and placed in the stable so that the stable air conditions were as equal as possible for all pairs of horses (for both groups).…”

A comparison of unheated loose housing with stables on the respiratory health of weaned-foals in cold winter conditions: an observational field-study

“…High particulate and endotoxin concentrations in the breathing zone of a horse are known to induce inflammatory changes in the airways [ 43 , 47 ]. Bedding [ 40 , 48 , 49 ], ventilation [ 50 ] and the quality and feeding method of the hay [ 40 , 43 ] affect the air quality in animal shelters. In the loose housing farms the haylage was provided outside and in the stable farms also inside in the night time.…”

Horses as a Crucial Part of One Health

“…Furthermore, unhealthy diets, especially highly concentrated and sugar-containing diets, can cause diseases such as equine metabolic syndrome [109]. If keeping horses in stables with bad air quality and low hygiene, horses and their keepers can develop respiratory problems, like the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [110,111]. Other NCDs such as Colitis-X, Caprophagy in foals or Buttress foot can be influenced by humans as well [112].…”