EM Milk, Healthy Cows, No Barn Odor
Dairy operations running fermented microbial water programs commonly report three outcomes that stand out from the expected odor and fly results: improved milk quality indicators, reduced barn odor to a degree that surprises neighbors and employees alike, and a measurable shift in the overall character of the facility environment.
The mechanism behind all three is the same. Dominant odors in a dairy — ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, skatole, indole — are byproducts of putrefactive microbial activity. Putrefactive bacteria break down proteins and organic matter through anaerobic decomposition, releasing these compounds into air, water, and manure. When fermentative organisms are introduced daily through the water supply and establish competitive dominance, the output of putrefactive metabolism drops — and so do its odors.
Milk Quality and Herd Health
Milk quality begins with the animal. Operations that reduce pathogenic environmental pressure on the herd through microbial water treatment report improvements in somatic cell counts, reduced mastitis incidence, and cleaner udder environments over time. These are consistent with what would be expected when the microbial character of water-contact surfaces, troughs, and milking equipment lines shifts from putrefactive to fermentative dominance.
Field analysis of 500-head dairy operations using consistent ASAM water-line programs has documented:
- ~5% increase in milk volume per animal over comparable periods
- ~15% reduction in veterinary and medicine costs associated with reduced incidence of stress-related illness
- ~10% improvement in conception rates and reduced breeding fees across the herd
- ~3% reduction in feed costs per animal, associated with improved feed conversion
- ~10% reduction in mortality loss across herd and calves in the treatment period
Application methods and results may vary by herd size, facility type, water quality, climate, and management practices. These figures represent field-documented outcomes and are not guaranteed results.
No Barn Odor
The odor reduction is often the first thing noticed — and noticed by people outside the operation. Neighbors, feed suppliers, and veterinarians who visit regularly commonly comment on the change. Within the first few days of continuous water-line inoculation, ammonia levels in the barn environment begin to measurably decrease as fermentative organisms establish in water lines, troughs, stall surfaces, and manure-contact areas.
Fly populations follow manure quality. As the manure microbiome shifts from putrefactive to fermentative, the breeding habitat that fly populations depend on becomes less hospitable. Fly pressure commonly decreases over the first 2–4 weeks of continuous treatment.
Dosing for Dairy Operations
| Application | Dilution | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Pump house / water line | 1:640 | 1 oz per 5 gal, continuous |
| Per-head drinking water | 1:500 | 3–5 oz per head daily |
| Calves | 1:1000 | 2 oz per head daily |
| Manure lagoon | 1:500–1:1000 | Weekly surface application |
| Barn / stall spray | 1:100 | Floors, stalls, surfaces |
Do not use with chlorinated water. Ongoing daily application is required to maintain the shifted microbial environment. All microbial strains in TerraFerm ASAM-C are on the FDA GRAS list. Buyers are responsible for confirming state and federal regulations for water-supply additives in dairy operations.
Source: TerraFerm field application guidelines and EdenBound Biologicals dairy field analysis. Application methods and results vary by herd size, facility design, water quality, and management practices.