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