Efficacy of a Bio-hygienization Additive on Microbial Control in Dairy Cow Bedding

Two-year study at the University of Perugia on 60 dairy cows in free-stall housing on straw bedding: following the introduction of SOP treatment in bedding, reduction of Total Bacterial Count (−96.45%), Micrococcaceae (−98.77%), and Enterobacteriaceae (−93.54%), with a reduction in milk SCC (−35.38%) over the monitored period, as reported in the contribution.

Summary: A two-year field study in Umbria on dairy cows in free-stall housing on straw bedding. After the introduction of SOP treatment in the bedding, the contribution reports a marked reduction in bedding microbial load (TBC, Micrococcaceae, Enterobacteriaceae) and a decrease in milk somatic cell count (SCC) over the observed period.

Straw bedding in free-stall systems represents a critical control point for environmental hygiene and overall microbial pressure in the barn. Reduction of bacterial load in the straw and trends in SCC can serve as operational indicators useful for monitoring environmental management strategies aimed at hygienic and sanitary quality.

In this context, the contribution presented at the National Mastitis Council (NMC) 46th Annual Meeting — a peer-reviewed congress with selection by the scientific committee — describes a study conducted by the University of Perugia (coordinated by Prof.ssa Tacconi), aimed at evaluating, under real field conditions, the effectiveness of an SOP bio-hygienization treatment (SQC 233 formula, included in products such as SOP EASYCOW, SOP STAR COW, SOP GOLD PRO COW) on bedding microbial load and milk quality indicators.

The study was conducted in Umbria on 60 cows in free-stall housing on straw bedding, with longitudinal monitoring of bedding microbial load and herd parameters before and after SOP treatment introduction. After treatment introduction, the contribution reports the following reductions in bedding microbial load compared to previous values (as reported in the contribution):

• Total Bacterial Count (TBC): −96.45%

• Micrococcaceae: −98.77%

• Enterobacteriaceae: −93.54%

In parallel, milk parameters showed a reduction in somatic cell count:

• SCC: −35.38% over the two-year monitoring period (as reported in the contribution)

Overall, the study highlights that a continuous SOP bedding bio-hygienization intervention can be associated with measurable reductions in microbial load in straw and favorable trends in indicators related to hygienic and sanitary quality, under real production conditions.