The number and type of bacteria in bedding are related to the number of bacteria on teat ends and rates of clinical mastitis by coliform bacteria. Bacterial counts differ among bedding materials. Organic bedding materials contain significantly higher bacterial counts than do inorganic materials. Inorganic bedding decreases teat exposure to environmental mastitis pathogens compared to organic bedding. However, inorganic bedding materials are incompatible with manure handling systems used in many dairies.
Recycled newspaper is relatively inexpensive and can be used with most manure management systems.
An important question is whether there are advantages to the use of recycled paper in reducing exposure of the teat ends to mastitis pathogens compared to other organic materials. Laboratory studies have shown that recycled chopped newsprint supported lower bacterial growth than did other materials commonly used as bedding. This experiment compared bacterial counts associated with recycled newspaper, wood shavings and pelleted corn cobs used as bed- ding for lactating dairy cows. An experiment was conducted at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center Dairy to investigate the use of recycled, chopped newsprint as tie-stall bedding for lactating dairy cows. Bacterial counts associated with recycled, chopped newsprint, hard wood shavings, and pelleted corn cob bedding materials were compared in a nine week trial.