Assessment of spatial variability of bedding variables in compost bedded pack barns with climate control system

• Published in: Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 2021-01, Vol.93 (3), p.e20200384-e20200384
• Main Authors: OLIVEIRA, CARLOS EDUARDO A., DAMASCENO, FLÁVIO A., FERRAZ, GABRIEL A.S., NASCIMENTO, JOÃO ANTÔNIO C. DO, VEGA, FELIPE A.O., TINÔCO, ILDA F.F., ANDRADE, RAFAELLA R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: compost barns; dairy cattle; geostatistics; MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES; spatial variability
• ISSN: 0001-3765; 1678-2690; 1678-2690
• DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202120200384

Abstract The aim of this research was to evaluate the spatial distribution of bedding variables in a climate-controlled compost bedded pack barn (CBP) equipped with an evaporative cooling system associated with a tunnel ventilation mode. The study was conducted on a farm in the West Mesoregion of Minas, MG, Brazil. The interior of the animal facility was divided into a mesh of 120 equidistant points, where the bedding surface temperature (tb-sur), the bedding temperature at 0.20 m depth (tb-20) and the bedding penetration resistance (PRb) of layer 0 to 0.20 m depth were measured. Bedding samples were collected to obtain the moisture (Mb) and pH in the surface and at 0.20 m depth. Geostatistics technique was used to evaluate the dependence and spatial distribution. Through the bedding area, the tb-sur presented low variability, with 6 ºC of amplitude, and tb-20 presented highest values (up to 55 °C). The spatial distribution of Mb-20 was similar to that observed on the surface and its highest levels occurred in the region near the feed alley (> 40%). The distribution of pH was similar in both layers. The tendency of high PRb occurred in the layer between 0.15 and 0.20 m (0 and 1500 kPa).