USE OF VOLCANIC TUFF IN DAIRY FARMS - SOLUTION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

摘要

The volcanic tuff, a natural zeolite, has the ability to make farms a cleaner place by absorbing and neutralising toxins and pollutants. The volcanic tuff has the ability to filter, block and retain a multitude of contaminants in absolute safety conditions. It is a mineral, with microcrystalline structure that shows the ability to attract and naturally absorb the positively charged pollutants, being the only mineral on earth known to be negatively charged. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the potential of the volcanic tuff to reduce the polluting effect of the manure obtained in cow farms by using it as a food additive, but also as an absorbent material for bedding. The biological material consisted of 80 Holstein Friesian dairy cows, homogeneous in terms of weight and milk production, which were distributed in 4 batches, namely: the control natch, which did not receive any volcanic tuff ratio; the experimental batch 1 to which 200 g tuff/head/day were added in the ratio; the experimental batch 2 to which 350 g tuff/head/day were added in the ratio; the experimental batch 3 to which were tested the amount of 500 g volcanic tuff/head/day. During the experimental period, which lasted 100 days, it was found that cow weight and milk production was not influenced by the use of volcanic tuff. The inclusion in ratios of 350 g/head/day resulted in a qualitative improvement in milk production, being observed the tendency of increase in the protein concentration and decrease in the total germs number. Also, by using the same average amount of volcanic tuff has resulted in a positive dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) diet, which is the guarantee for dairy cows to improve milk production and health. The use of the volcanic tuff, 400 g/head/week, increases the absorption capacity of the bedding, which results in a reduction in moisture and an improvement in litter consistency. Under these conditions, a reduction in respiratory diseases and pododermatitis is ensured, and the manure obtained inside the farm can be used in environmentally safe conditions, as it will reduce the risk of groundwater pollution. At the same time, a goal proposed within the project, in which the research was carried out, was to facilitate the participation of PhD students and master students in the specific activities performed in the field of agricultural ecology, on the segment of dairy cow farming.