Affiliation:
1. Post-Graduation Program in Animal Health, Faculdade de Agronomia e Veterinária da Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro , Brasília 70910-900, DF , Brazil
2. Faculdade de Agronomia e Medicina Veterinária, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro , Brasília 70910-900, DF , Brazil
Abstract
Abstract
Equine farming generates a significant amount of waste, prompting the need for effective management. Composting enhanced by filamentous fungi holds promise for this purpose. This study focused on inoculating Aspergillus fumigatus isolates in composting horse bedding made with wood shavings (Pinus elliottii). The experiment lasted 90 days, with two treatment groups, control and inoculated, analyzing temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, total organic carbon and nitrogen content, and cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents. Both treatments entered the thermophilic phase by the fourth day, reaching temperatures above 55°C and mesophilic maturation at 35 days (41 ± 0.2°C). The inoculated treatment exhibited higher electrical conductivity after 30 days and a more pronounced reduction in the total carbon content (42.85% vs. 38.29%) compared to the control. While there was no significant nitrogen difference, the inoculated treatment had a sharper reduction in carbon/nitrogen ratio, and cellulose and hemicellulose contents. Both treatments showed low coliform counts, no Salmonella sp., and reduced Strongyloides sp. larvae. Inoculating A. fumigatus in saturated horse bedding made from wood shavings improved compost quality, providing a possibility for sustainable equine farming waste treatment.
Funder
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientı́fico e Tecnológico
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)