Beef (Cattle)

 

For small farms or backyard animals, we recommend purchasing EM-1 and making your own Activated EM-1. For large commercial farms we do offer ready-to-use version in bulk quantities starting in 55-gallon barrels. (Please call for pricing and shipping costs as freight is quoted based on weight and the delivery location).

Spraying of Activated EM-1® will eliminate odor almost instantly. The rates at which Activated EM-1® is applied will determine how long the effects will last. If odors haven't been eliminated at first, reapply at a greater rate and/or more often to establish beneficial microbial populations.

 

Methods for Barns, Sheds, Loafing Area Odor Control:

• Spray Activated EM-1® on all surfaces (floors, walls, and ceiling). The bedding area and all manure should be sprayed.

• Applications should be done at least 3 times per week. For a guideline, apply about 1 quart of Activated EM-1® diluted with 50 parts water per square yard of the barn.

• If misting/fogging systems are in place, inject Activated EM-1® at a rate of 1:1000 on a continuous basis.

Misting/Fogging:
 

1. If your facility has a misting/fogging system in place for cooling, Activated EM-1® can be added into the water at a ratio of 1 part AEM•1® per 1,000 gallons of water. For best results, run the solution on a timer that cycles for 10 seconds every hour when the building is open (summer) and 10 seconds every 30 minutes when the building is closed (winter).

2. Prior to running the AEM•1®, flush the lines to clean out any gunk as nozzles may plug.

 

EM-1 ® Microbial Inoculant is a concentrate that can be used directly from the container or multiplied in volume through a fermentation process we call "activation." Activated EM-1® application rates are the same as EM-1®–there is no difference in efficiency. However, once EM-1® is activated, there is a dramatic reduction in shelf life of the product. (It should be used up within 30-45 days after the drop in pH for optimal microbial activity.)

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EM•1® Microbial Inoculant uses beneficial microbes- creating an antioxidant effect to naturally break down and eliminate ammonia odor as well as decrease hydrogen sulfide putrefaction. In fact, some poultry houses using EM•1® have eliminated ammonia gases entirely (with an average reported ammonia level of 5-6ppm after use). Due to increased production resulting from lower ammonia and hydrogen sulfide levels, livestock operations can generate profits up to three times higher than the cost of using EM•1®. EM•1® microbial inoculant solutions can be used for cattle foot baths, manure treatment, to wash down milking parlors, sprayed on pastures, and even applied directly to the animals themselves to keep skin and hides healthy.

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Unfortunately, raising livestock is usually a smelly business. This is due to the release of offensive gases, as well as ammonia in the urine, from the natural breakdown of food in the body.

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How It Works
Livestock smell is as issue as old as civilization. In recent times, however, enterprising biologists discovered that microorganisms could break down organic waste in order to effectively reduce offensive odors. Purposefully placing large quantities of these desirable bacteria onto manure and even the animals themselves makes the breakdown process much less stinky – naturally and without the use of harsh chemicals.

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A potent microbial inoculant can be used to keep livestock pastures, barns and other confinement areas from becoming overwhelming or dangerous. The beneficial bacteria break down the odorous compounds and can also be applied to cattle foot baths or directly on the animal so that organic matter breaking down on the animals’ coats doesn’t start to smell. All the loafing areas and surface areas where wastes spill should be regularly sprayed as well to suppress all the odors in the area.

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Why Odor Control is Necessary
Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide are two of the gases that are responsible for the strongest smells in confined livestock areas. Both of these gases can be dangerous when levels are high, and animals or humans that continually breathe them in can get sick, making ammonia and hydrogen sulfide odor control extremely important. The beneficial bacteria in microbial inoculants break down these products to less toxic byproducts that do not smell as strongly and are not harmful.

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Other Options in Odor Control
Other agents that are used in combating smells from livestock may simply mask the scent. This makes it more pleasant to be around, but doesn’t remove the possibly damaging effects on the animals and people since the compounds responsible are still lingering in the air. Microbes actually break down the compounds from their more dangerous state into a less odoriferous and safer end product.

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Keeping a livestock area so clean that it is completely free of odor is practically impossible, but many large-scale farms try. The downside of this method is that harsh cleaning products and chemicals can be just as bad for the animals and people as the waste they are used to remove. Beneficial bacteria are a naturally-occurring part of the environment that has no similar negative side effects.

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Why Microbial Treatment is Best
Manure and other waste that is treated with beneficial bacteria makes great compost. Unlike manure tainted with chemicals, it is completely natural and will not leech toxins into the environment. Manure that is treated with beneficial bacteria can be applied to worms for further processing without any ill effects on them (worms actually eat bacteria!).

Microbial inoculants contain living organisms, so they must be applied appropriately or other chemicals in use can kill the bacteria. For example, when using in a cattle foot bath, they cannot be combined with copper sulfide. Copper sulfide is an antibacterial agent and does not differentiate between the harmful bacteria it is intended to kill and the beneficial microbes present in the inoculant.

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How Beneficial Bacteria Aid the World
Beneficial bacteria play a large role in the lives of humans and animals. Many animals rely on certain types of bacteria to help them digest their food. Humans maintain beneficial bacteria on our skin that keeps other, more harmful bacteria from setting up shop. Some plants even grow special ‘homes’ in their roots so that bacteria which fix nitrogen (an essential element) will move in and share the bounty. Harnessing the power of these microorganisms has led to healthier, safer environments for livestock while simultaneously reducing the use of dangerous pesticides. Inoculants are safe for animals and humans, great for the environment and most importantly, they work. Healthier animals lead to better returns for farmers, which more than pays for the investment in purchasing the appropriate treatment.