AIRBORNE DUST AND AEROALLERGEN CONCENTRATIONS IN DIFFERENT SOURCES OFFEED AND BEDDING FOR HORSES

Standardized methods were used to make quantitative and qualitative as sessments of respirable dust and aeroallergens in feed and bedding for horses, Concentrations of airborne dust were measured by using a Rion particle counter, and levels of major aeroallergens implicated in chr onic obstructive pulmonary disease were measured by using an Andersen sampler. Laboratory conditions allowed comparison of the different sou rces of forage, supplements, and bedding without external influences s uch as ventilation, external temperature and horse activity affecting the result, Grass silages of approximately 50 % dry mailer and alfalfa pellets appeared to be very good sources of forage with low levels of dust and aeroallergens. The studied good quality straw was significan tly less dusty with fewer allergens than the wood shavings. Supplement s, such as whole grains and molassed concentrates, contained many resp irable particles and aeroallergens, Rolled grains were significantly m ore dusty than good hay.