C24-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, March 16, 1991 VERNON ACHENBACH JR, Lancaster Farming Staff LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) Microbes on the farm can help or hurt, depending on which kinds they are and where they end up. Two speakers at the second in a two-part dairy days prog ram offered by Lancaster County extension service addressed on-farm lung hazards and also the use of microbial agents to help cattle digestion and prepare better silage. Dan McFarland, a multi-county agricultural engineer extension agent, talked about the use of lung hazards to far mers and the use of breathing masks to prevent illnesses or death that can result from breathing certain microspic forms of life. Dr. Limin Kung, with the University of Delaware Depart ment of Animal Science, gave two talks; on feeding certain bacteria and fungus to cows to possibly aid in digestion, and using inoculants to speed the fermentauon process in making silage. According to McFarland, two basic lung problems are identified with farming Organic Dust Toxicity Syndrome and Farmers Lung.* Causing a flu-like illness several hours after inhalation, ODTS is probably more common than believed he said, since it is not fatal and the symptoms are so much like the flu that it can easily be misdiagnosed. Farmer’s lung can cause death and ususally affects one person, The big difference between the two, according to McFar land is what is inhaled and how many people are affected. ODTS affects all who are exposed to such conditions. There is also occupational asthma which occurs in about 10 percent of those working in confinement housing, McFar land said. It is characterized by immediate coughing within 2 to 3 minutes of exposure. The cause of some of these reactions are mold and fungal spores (basically seeds), animal hair, dandruff, dried fecal matter, gram dust and bacteria in the air which range in size from half a micron to several microns. The problems arc caused by toxins, viruses, bacteria or molds which can be a part of the tiny air particles being breathed in. The particles can cause problems through a num ber of ways react on their own, take hold and grow inside the human repiratory tract, or stimulate the body to react in defense all of which cause symptoms. McFarland used a PSU extension fact sheet authored by Dennis Murphy, a professor of agricultural engineering. According to the handout, “Farmer’s Lung and Toxic Organic Dust Syndrome (TODS) are names give to two farm xcupationhl diseases caused by inhaling airborne mold spores. Silo Unloadcrs Syundrom is another name for TODS because the condition often occurs during the unloading or jncapping of silos. Similar diseases associated with other agricultural occupations have been termed Bird Fanciers’ Lung, Mushroom Workers’ Lung, Wood Pulp Workers’ Dis ease, etc. “Mold spores are produced by microoranisms which grow in baled hay, stored grain, or silage with a high moisture con tent (30 percent). They become active when temperatures reach 70 degrees in poorly ventilated areas. “Farmers most often suffer from these diseases in winter and early spring because the molds have had time to develop in closed storage areas. “Heavy concentrations of mold spores appear as a dry, white or grey powder in grain or forage. When the feed is moved, billions of these microscopic-sized particles become airborne and attach themselves to dust. These particles pass through the body’s natural filtering mechanisms and accu mulate in the lungs where they can cause an allergic type of pneumonia. Repeated attacks can lead to scarring of lung tissue which impairs its function. Such tissue damage is permanent.” During the talk, McFarland showed a gas mask perfor mance tester that was built by the college agriculture engineer department and was first displayed during Ag Progress Days at Rock Spring. The tester consists of a series of mannequin heads hooked up to vacuum tubes. Each mannequin head is outfitted with a different form of respirator. An air analyzer and valves completes the ability of McFar land to test the amount of dust particles in the air and also to comparitively show the effectiveness of the variety of respir ators available. The most reliable respirator for dust control is the powered air helmet. It consists of a helmet, two filters and an electric fan within the helmet. It has the ability to remove more than 99 percent of the dust in an area. This type of respirator, depending on model and manufacturer, ranges in price from less than $3OO to more than $BOO, and in dust removability from 80 percent to more than 99 percent. About half as effective is the chemical cartridge respirator, not the type used for spraying pesticides, but somewhat simi lar in appearance. It can handle up to about 60 percent of the dust particles. The simple masks, called toxic dust masks, remove about 6 to 8 percent of the dust in a room. It is darker in color than a similar looking, simple-construction mask, called a nuisance dust mask. The nuisance dust mask does not offer any protection against breathing mold spores or toxic dust. (Turn to Page C 25) Unseen Farm Life Dan McFarland, multi-county agriculture engineer extension agent, shows a num ber of different respirators and discusses their abilities to protect farmers’ lungs. Friend And Enemy
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