title: Cacao bean husk: an applicable bedding material in dairy free-stall barns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of the study were to assess the effect of cacao bean husk as bedding material in free-stall barn on the behavior, productivity, and udder health of dairy cattle, and on the ammonia concentrations in the barn.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four different stall surfaces (no bedding, cacao bean husk, sawdust, and chopped wheat straw) were each continuously tested for a period of 1 week to determine their effects on nine lactating Holstein cows housed in the free-stall barn with rubber matting. The lying time and the milk yield were measured between d 4 and d 7. Blood samples for plasma cortisol concentration and teat swabs for bacterial counts were obtained prior to morning milking on d 7. The time-averaged gas-phase ammonia concentrations in the barn were measured between d 2 and d 7.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cows spent approximately 2 h more per day lying in the stalls when bedding was available than without bedding. The milk yield increased in the experimental periods when cows had access to bedding materials as compared to the period without bedding. The lying time was positively correlated with the milk yield. Bacterial counts on the teat ends recorded for cows housed on cacao bean husk were significantly lower than those recorded for cows housed without bedding. Ammonia concentration under cacao bean husk bedding decreased by 6%, 15%, and 21% as compared to no bedding, sawdust, and chopped wheat straw, respectively. The cortisol concentration was lowest in the period when cacao bean husk bedding was used. We observed a positive correlation between the ammonia concentrations in the barn and the plasma cortisol concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cacao bean husk is a potential alternative of conventional bedding material, such as sawdust or chopped wheat straw, with beneficial effects on udder health and ammonia concentrations in the barns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Production, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Production, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Owada
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture Field Science Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Suguru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture Field Science Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Natsumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takehara
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture Field Science Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture Field Science Center, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhide
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Production, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Production, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itabashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Production, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Production, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanda
keywords: Bedding Material; Cacao Bean Husk; Dairy Cattle