Zeolite on a goat farm in Nea Orestiada [photos and video]
Zeolite on a goat farm in Nea Orestiada
The use of natural zeolite in livestock farming
zeolite can be added to animal feed in powder form, at a rate of 2 per cent of their feed ration. It cleanses their digestive system of heavy metals, free radicals and toxins. Using 2–3 kilograms of zeolite per square metre on the floor of stables or other areas housing animals, it significantly reduces odours by absorbing and neutralising ammonia and hydrogen sulphide.
In the wider area of Petrota, Nea Orestiada, where zeolite is found in abundance, many stables and other buildings are constructed using zeolite as a building material. Due to its antifungal properties, it also protects the animals’ udders from disease, improving the quality and increasing the quantity of milk produced. As it absorbs ammonia and other harmful substances, the odourless manure can subsequently be used as fertiliser.
A 17 per cent increase in milk production has been observed in dairy cows.
As regards poultry, the addition of 2 per cent zeolite to their feed results in:
a) a 6.25 per cent
increase in nitrogen content in manure b) a 55 per cent reduction in ammonia loss
c) an increase in egg production and a 7 per cent increase in body weight.
Furthermore, the use of zeolite in goat rearing at a rate of 2.5 per cent in their feed resulted in increased weight, the birth of triplets and quadruplets, and a significant increase in the fat content of their milk.
zeolite is also used in beekeeping to regulate humidity in the hives.