Reducing Respiratory Health Risks to Horses and Workers: A Comparison of Two Stall Bedding Materials.
Authors: Saastamoinen Markku, Särkijärvi Susanna, Hyyppä Seppo
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Bedding Material Impact on Respiratory Health in Horses and Workers Peat bedding substantially outperforms wood shavings in controlling stable air quality, particularly regarding ammonia accumulation—a critical concern for facilities in cold climates where horses spend extended periods indoors. Finnish researchers measured ammonia concentrations, dust levels, and respiratory health outcomes across two groups of horses, alongside monitoring worker exposure during daily stable management tasks. Ammonia levels in peat-bedded stalls remained negligible (<0.25 ppm), whilst wood shavings generated concentrations of 1.5–7.0 ppm in the same stall environment; worker 8-hour time-weighted average exposure reached 5.9 ppm with wood shavings but was undetectable with peat. Though respiratory symptoms initially increased in both groups, horses bedded with peat recovered to baseline health status by trial end, whereas those on wood shavings remained symptomatic throughout—a finding reinforced by superior hoof moisture retention in the peat group. For equine professionals managing facilities in regions requiring year-round stabling, switching to peat bedding offers measurable benefits for both equine respiratory health and occupational safety, though cost-effectiveness and local availability should inform practical implementation decisions.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Switching from wood shavings to peat bedding significantly reduces ammonia exposure for both horses and stable workers, improving respiratory health outcomes
- •Peat bedding also provides better hoof conditioning through superior moisture regulation compared to wood shavings
- •In cold climate facilities where horses are stabled year-round, bedding material selection is a critical modifiable factor for respiratory health prevention
Key Findings
- •Peat bedding resulted in undetectable or very low ammonia levels (<0.25 ppm) compared to 1.5-7.0 ppm in wood shavings stalls
- •Worker ammonia exposure was 5.9 ppm/8h in wood shavings stalls but absent in peat-bedded stalls
- •Respiratory symptoms in horses improved and returned to baseline in the peat group but persisted in the wood shavings group
- •Horses bedded with peat maintained better hoof moisture content than those with wood shavings