Lime Spread on Cow Beds Compromises Traction on Barn Floors The spreading of hydrated lime where the cows lay has been a common practice in the fighting of mastitis since the 1940’s. This form of disinfecting and drying of the area that teats and udders come in contact with works very well in a 1960’s style of tie stall barn. The lime that is kicked out goes directly into the gutter, to the manure pile and out into the soil. A win-win situation. Unfortunately it is becoming more noticeable that in the modern free-stall facilities, this nonsoluble and inorganic mineral based material is remaining in the grooves and texture placed in concrete floors that is there to provide firm traction for the livestock. This buildup makes floors appear to be wearing down smooth, but it is in fact filling the textures up to become a smooth, flat and slippery floor. This has two results, injury due to falls and lack of heat detection due to poor confidence in footing. Few people in the dairy industry pay much attention to barn floors as they are usually covered in manure and seldom thoroughly cleaned to allow them to be seen up close. One of the exceptions is AGRI-TRAC Inc. whose focus is on retexturing slippery floors. Visiting 160 or more farms a year, we see various degrees of slipping and can see commonality. With over 40 years of designing, pouring, finishing, removal/replacement and repairing of concrete dairy barn floors, these commonalities initiate interest in searching for root cause with a goal towards prevention of reoccurrence and the well being of the livestock and profitability for the farmer. For instance, floor textures that have traditionally lasted a decade or more are now being compromised in less than a couple years in some facilities. This has begged the question of why and what has changed? Pressure washing the floor to expose the surface on many floors over the past few years has highlighted an obvious visual change in the colouration of the floors, especially in low areas where liquids tend to sit and the evapouration process takes place. Concrete exposed to manure and urine will take on a dark brown appearance. The floors in question are grey in colour and have become exceptionally smoother than most others witnessed. An example of this is seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Upon closer inspection, this grey material can be seen as a coating over top of the original concrete. In the following two pictures note the aggregate and definite ribs in the concrete that can be seen in the picture on the left, Figure 2. The picture on the right, Figure 3, is the same floor on the same farm after two years.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Farms with an even more aggressive texture originally placed in the floor are showing this same residue as can be seen below in Figure 4.

In a continuing effort to improve livestock welfare and reduce losses for the producer, AGRITRAC Inc. has invested considerable time and expense to discover the source of this problem. Samples were removed from several facilities in different geographical locations and scientifically analyzed, as shown in Figures 5-10.

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figures 5 – 10 outlines the steps that were taken during the extraction process.

NOTE: If normal concrete is heated with a torch, there is very little change in appearance, texture, or colour until it explodes due to the vaporized moisture in the concrete. If the material in the grooves, as pictured above, were organic material, it would simply burn off leaving bare concrete.

Results of the lab test are as followed: Deposit from adhered floor build up at the dairy facilities for analysis. Test Results Lab No. 5902 Sample ID Total Aluminum (Al) Copper (Cu) Iron (Fe) Tin (Sn) Chromium (Cr) Lead (Pb) Cadmium (Cd) Nickel (Ni) Titanium (Ti) Zinc (Zn) Phosphorous (P) Molybdenum (Mo) Calcium (Ca1) Barium (Ba) Magnesium (Mg) Boron (B) Sodium (Na) Silicon (Si) Potassium

Floor Deposits 0.15 0.01 0.13 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 4.38 0.00 89.39 0.02 4.44 0.00 0.45 0.01 0.99

Remarks: Usually calcium and magnesium are related with limestone or salt. Phosphorous and Potassium are related with fertilizer. Tested by : M.Z. (Chemist) Member of ASTM JS:LN

Key Findings: 89.39% Calcium 4.44% Magnesium

Approved by: James Szeto James Szeto, B. Chief Chemist

Below is the analysis of agricultural grade lime, taken from the Material Safety Data Sheet of Mosher Lime Products. Section II

INGREDIENTS

CALCIUM CARBONATE: MAGNESIUM CARBONATE: SILICA DIOXIDE:

50 to 95 % 4 to 40 % .5 to 2.5 % (Less than .5% crystalline silica)

Hydrated Lime fits within the same limits of the chemical properties listed above. It also states in the MSDS for Hydrated Lime… “Hydrated lime is used as an additive for mortar, cement, concrete and concrete products.” MSDS provided by Lafarge North America Inc. Conclusion: Why are dairy producers being advised to add the equivalent of cement powder to the barn floors and not expect the floors to get smoother over time? This ends up costing thousands of dollars every few years to remove it and re-gain a safe environment for their livestock to travel on. It is possible that a liquid solution of 1% Virkon sprayed on the beds several times a week for bacteria control would be an easier, more cost efficient and less health risk than spreading lime. Sawdust, straw or peat moss are all proven absorbent beddings for livestock and are organic material that will not permanently pack in or settle out during evaporation on the floors. In the event they do adhere to the floor, just add water and they release. When lime, gypsum and recycled drywall are used for bedding, they will not release when water is added - it actually makes it stick even more. The current advice being given to the dairy producer is costing the industry an untold amount of money in injured animals, lost production and reproduction and a constantly reoccurring expense in an attempt to reduce those losses. The gains in mastitis control must be balanced and understood with the losses incurred from lime use. There needs to be a call for research to discover an effective anti-bacterial and moisture absorbent alternative that is organic based material as opposed to the mineral based solution that has been causing all of these issues. At the very least, producers need to be informed and aware that there is always a trade-off in everything. Temple Grandin Ph.D Professor of Animal Science is often quoted: “Nothing is free. There is a price to pay for every action taken.”