Characteristics of sawdust, wood shavings and their mixture from different pine species as bedding materials for Hanwoo cattle

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical properties and changes in moisture concentrations of bedding materials under the conditions of rearing Korean Hanwoo cows. METHODS: Two experiments were conducted to investigate the physicochemical characteristics (Exp. I) and usefulness as beddings for rearing cattle (Exp. II) by the type of beddings such as sawdust (SD), wood shavings (WS) and sawdust+wood shavings (S+W; 1:1 in volume), and the species of pine trees from different countries of origins (China, Pinus armandii, AR; Vietnam, Pinus kesiya, KE; USA, Pinus rigida, RI). RESULTS: In Exp. I, SD-AR showed the largest proportion (78.3%) of fine particles (250 μm+ below 250 μm) and the highest bulk density (208 kg/m(3)) among treatments (p<0.05). The water absorption capacity at 24 h of both S+W-RI (713%) and -KE (701%) was the highest among treatments (p<0.05) and higher than those of SD or WS alone within each species of pine tree (p<0.05). Moisture evaporation rates (%) at 12 h were ranged from 52.3 to 60.8 for SD, 69.9 to 74.4 for WS, and 72.3 to 73.5 for S+W. Total amounts (mg/m(2)) of ammonia emissions were the lowest (p<0.05) in KE species among the pine species within each type of bedding material, having higher ability of ammonia absorption. In Exp II, KE species in both side A and B had lower moisture concentrations (%) than other species. Regardless of types of beddings except SD-AR, moisture concentrations of beddings within a pen were higher (p<0.01) at side A than B. CONCLUSION: The KE species has better physical characteristics than other beddings and more useful for rearing Hanwoo cattle than other beddings, probably caused by the differences in the method and degree of wood processing rather than the species.