TERRAFERM / ANIMAL AGRICULTURE
Microbial Programs for Animal Agriculture
Water-line inoculation shifts every trough, drinker, and manure-contact surface from putrefactive to fermentative microbial leadership — reducing ammonia, odor, and fly pressure facility-wide.
One Injection Point. Facility-Wide Results.
ASAM-C and ASAM-A are injected at the pump house or water-line header using a standard dosatron or proportional injector. From there, the fermentative microbial culture distributes through every water line in the facility — troughs, nipple drinkers, water bowls — continuously inoculating the environment.
The same microbial principles that drive soil and compost programs apply in animal systems: when fermentative microbes lead, putrefactive activity declines. Ammonia production drops. Fly populations follow the manure quality. Litter, bedding, and manure become fermentation substrates rather than rot piles.
Quick Reference: Dilution Rates
| Application | Method | Dilution |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy & Livestock | Pump house injection | 1:640 |
| Cattle / Swine per head | Direct to waterer | 1:500 |
| Poultry water line | Pump house injection | 1:1500 |
| Adult poultry per bird | Direct to waterer | 1:640 |
| Chicks | Direct to waterer | 1:1500 |
| Litter / bedding spray | Direct spray | 1:640 |
Do not use with chlorinated water — chlorine deactivates the microbial culture. Flush lines before starting if chlorine is present.
Dairy Operations
Pump-house injection treats troughs, milking equipment water lines, and manure-contact surfaces continuously. Dominant dairy odors are byproducts of putrefactive microbial activity. Fermentative organisms introduced through the water supply establish a competing biological environment throughout the facility.
Why Water-Line Inoculation Works
Fermentative organisms produce organic acids and a low-ORP environment hostile to putrefactive dominance. Odor compounds decrease, fly habitat degrades, and manure quality improves.
Dosing Reference
| Animal | Dilution | Rate | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy Cows | 1:640 | 1 oz per 5 gal | Continuous |
| Beef Cattle | 1:640 | 1 oz per 5 gal | Continuous |
| Calves | 1:1000 | 2 oz per head | Daily |
Additional Applications
| Application | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Feed additive | 1% of feed weight | Spray on feed before feeding |
| Manure lagoon | 1:500 to 1:1000 | Weekly; shifts odor; supports composting |
| Barn/floor spray | 1:100 | Degrades odors; discourages fly breeding |
| Compost inoculant | 1 to 2 L per m3 | Apply to manure-based windrows |
Commonly Reported Outcomes
Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide levels commonly decrease within the first few days. Fly populations may decrease as manure shifts toward fermentative conditions. Manure often composts faster with less odor.
Results may vary by herd size, facility type, water quality, climate, and management. Confirm state and federal regulations for water-supply additives in animal operations.
Livestock Operations
Beef cattle, swine, sheep, and goats all benefit from facility-wide water-line inoculation. ASAM shifts the microbial environment away from putrefactive bacteria responsible for feedlot odors, manure lagoon emissions, and poor manure compostability.
The Feedlot and Confinement Challenge
High-density operations concentrate organic waste faster than soil-based systems can process it, resulting in putrefactive dominance: ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile fatty acids. Fermentative inoculants redirect the microbial community in the water, gut, manure, and lagoon toward pathways that produce significantly less odor and ammonia.
Dosing Reference
| Animal | Dilution | Practical Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Beef Cattle | 1:640 | 1 oz per 5 gal; continuous |
| Swine | 1:640 | 1 oz per 5 gal; continuous |
| Sheep and Goats | 1:640 | 1 oz per 5 gal; continuous |
Manure, Lagoon and Environment
| Application | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Manure lagoon | 1:500 to 1:1000 | Weekly; reduces H2S and ammonia volatilization |
| Barn/pen spray | 1:100 | Reduces odor and fly habitat |
| Feed additive | 1% of feed weight | Supports gut microbial environment |
| Compost windrows | 1 to 2 L per m3 | Accelerates decomposition; reduces ammonia |
ASAM strains are GRAS-listed. Confirm FDA CVM guidance and state regulations for water-supply additives in livestock operations.
Poultry Operations
Broiler, layer, and turkey operations can use ASAM in drinking water and as a direct litter treatment, reducing ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and fly pressure throughout the house while supporting a cleaner gut and litter environment.
Ammonia and Litter: The Challenge
Ammonia originates from putrefactive bacterial breakdown of uric acid in litter and manure. ASAM addresses this at two points: in the drinking water, establishing fermentative leadership in the gut and water-contact surfaces; and in the litter, directly treating the bedding where putrefactive decomposition is occurring.
Water-Line Dosing
| Bird Type | Dilution | Practical Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Broilers (adult) | 1:1500 | Approx. 0.85 oz per 8 gal; continuous |
| Layers (adult) | 1:1500 | Approx. 0.85 oz per 8 gal; continuous |
| Turkey (adult) | 1:1500 | Approx. 0.85 oz per 8 gal; continuous |
| Chicks/Poults | 1:1500 | 3/4 tsp per 10 gal; begin day 1 |
Litter and House Treatment
| Application | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Litter spray | 1:640 | 2 to 3 times per week for odor control |
| House cleanout prep | 1:100 | Apply to floors and walls before new bedding |
| Composting litter | 1 to 2 L per m3 | Accelerates decomposition; reduces ammonia |
Commonly Reported Outcomes
Ammonia levels in litter and house air commonly decrease with regular treatment. Fly populations may decrease as fermentative conditions become less hospitable to larvae. Treated litter often shows improved composting, less caking, and reduced odor.
ASAM strains are GRAS-listed. Confirm state and federal regulations for water-supply additives in poultry operations.
Ready to Start a Water-Line Program?
Get your ASAM kit, set up a dosatron at the pump house, and start shifting your facility's microbial environment within days of your first batch.