Slurry

Question

Dear expert team,

Recently, we were in the Allgaeu [rural region in Germany] and it was intensively smelling of slurry everywhere.

Since CF children (= our son) are not supposed to go into stables I am a bit worried about this now.

How do you estimate the health risk (mould fungi, germs, etc.) in a situation where slurry is breathed in?

Thank you.

Answer

Hello,

Unfortunately, odour nuisance is a frequent problem in the more and more industrialised agriculture.

Close contact to farm animals at a farm can actually be a problem and should be avoided as far as possible. The reason for this is that a close contact implicates a higher exposition to hay, mulch, and straw that can contain mould fungi as is known.

In case of slurry that is spread on the fields in order to dispose of it, things are a bit different. In this case it is only the odour nuisance that is bothersome for CF patients and all others. Certainly, the slurry also contains mould spores, these should be bound, however, since the slurry is spread on the fields in a liquid form. It is questionable though what happens if the slurry on the ground is drying and is not smelling anymore. It is imaginable that mould fungi could accrete in this environment.

Summarising, I would assume that while the slurry is spread on the fields the odour nuisance is stronger, though, the contamination with mould spores should not be increased. To what extent an increased contamination with spores close to the fields prevails afterwards cannot be said exactly; however it cannot be excluded. Nevertheless, it is assumed that this concentration still is far below the concentration to which one is exposed to directly in a stable. In other words, the concentration [close to the fields] probably represents a slightly higher risk but remains within the normal range.

All the best, Dr. Sommerburg

26.10.2009