Abstract
Optimum cultural conditions were investigated for the isolation of bacteria from dairy cow faeces and aerated faeces/water (l:10) mixture. A survey of faeces obtained over a 12 month period from 12 farms, using different feeding patterns, was carried out. Aerobic treatment of dairy farm waste proved efficacious with respect to the reduction of suspended solids, oxygen demand and dewaterability. The changes in flora resulting from aeration of faeces/water mixture by a laboratory process were investigated. 297 strains of bacteria were isolated from faeces and 322 from aerated faeces/water mixture. The overall change in flora which resulted from treatment is summarised below: it was statistically highly significant. The differences in composition of the flora of faeces from different farms, or from different sample occasions, were not significant.