Respirable dust concentrations in equine stables. Part 2: The benefits of soaking hay and optimising the environment in a neighbouring stable

Inflammatory Airway Disease of Horses—Revised Consensus Statement

“…For example, hay fed from a hay net will result in greater than 4‐fold increased exposure to respirable dust in the breathing zone compared to feeding the same hay on the ground regardless of background dust level in the stable 133. Activity in the barn and ventilation affects dust exposure with peak levels occurring during the morning or midday, especially at the time of feeding and cleaning of the stalls 45, 131. Opening of barn doors and more open stable design, regardless of season, improve ventilation, and decrease exposure to dust 43, 49, 51…”

Air Quality in Horse Stables

“…However, depending on its source this product has been shown to vary widely in dustiness and hygienic quality (Airaksinen et al, 2005). Even local differences of bedding between boxes within a stable can influence the overall respirable particle load in the common stable airspace (Clements & Pirie, 2007). Clearly the various forms of bedding in a stable and the differences in bedding between boxes within a stable can have a substantial, yet elusively defined effect on the stable air dust load, and consequently on the airway health of the horses and people present.…”

“…For example, providing a low-dust feed in the form of ensilage has been shown to reduce the markers of airway inflammation in stabled horses (Wyse et al, 2005). In addition, even short-term immersion of dusty feed (hay) can reduce the air particle load in the stabled horses' breathing zones (Clements & Pirie, 2007). It is not known if these reductions in dust from horse feed are also important to the respiratory health of people.…”

The Effect of Management Regime on Airborne Respirable Dust Concentrations in Two Different Types of Horse Stable Design

“…Airborne dust in the stable environment is composed of different sized particles of plant fragments, mites, bacteria and mould spores, yeasts, and endotoxins [9] with the level and composition being influenced by the choice of bedding [10], forage [11], and horse care activities, such as mucking out and sweeping [12]. The persistence of dust in the air and the probability of inhalation by the horse into the different regions of the respiratory tract are influenced by release rate from bedding and forage, particle size [13], and the speed of removal by ventilation rate which can vary greatly between stables [14,15].…”