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Probiotics in Livestock and Gardens
Probiotics, beneficial microorganisms, are used as digestive aids as well as in the garden to reduce waste and maintain the ecosystem on your land. In this article we will discuss the uses and benefits of bacteria in digestion and in garden waste reduction.
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that aid digestion and absorption of nutrients. They help to keep harmful bacteria from colonizing and creating digestive problems, and thus support the body in fighting illness and disease. If beneficial bacteria become depleted or the balance is disturbed, potentially harmful (pathogenic) bacteria can overgrow, causing health problems. Lactic acid bacteria is also known to produce enzymes and natural antibiotics aiding effective digestion and has antibacterial properties, including control of salmonella and e. coli.
In the garden, living soil is the basis of soil fertility. Soil, living soil is the alpha and omega, the beginning and end. And what makes a living soil is the existence of life forms like microorganisms. Without them, we cannot create and sustain soil fertility and health. One of the major microbe of the beneficial indigenous microorganisms is lactic acid bacteria that arrest foul odors and consequently help take off toxins.
One of the major workhorse beneficial indigenous microorganism used in natural farming is lacto bacilli. This particular beneficial microorganism is popularly used in composting that specifically arrest foul odors associated with anaerobic decomposition. Lactic acid bacteria thrive and feed on the ammonia released in the decomposition normally associated with foul odors. So if you need to decompose or ferment wastes less foul odors, lactic acid bacteria is the specific bacteria to use. Its application in organic farming is enormous. Lactic acid bacteria is specially used in natural piggery. Pigs are allowed to roam their pens where the floors (substrate) are made of compost, soil and other organic matter like sawdust, sprayed with lactic acid bacteria serum. There is no need to clean up the pens of excretions and urines. The lactic acid bacteria do the cleansing. They convert these wastes into unharmful ones through this natural way of decomposition. So there is no need to clean and no need to worry about foul odors. Another application is for raising organic chickens. The serum is diluted and added to water and feeds of the chickens. With the lactic acid bacteria intake of the chickens, it helps better assimilation of nutrients of feeds through better breakdown of food, thus, more nutritious food extraction. Likewise, in aquaculture, one of the problem is related to water quality. Poor water quality stresses the fish which in turn stunts their growth and affects their health. This is very evident specially on high density and tank aquaculture. The ammonia produced through fish excretions pollute the water and stress the fish. With regular addition of this beneficial microorganisms to the water, this ammonia problem is minimized, if not fully arrested. It helps hasten or complete the denitrification or converting wastes into forms not harmful to fish.
Spraying diluted solution of lactic acid bacteria serum to the plant and soil helps plant growth and makes them more healthy. As it is applied to the soil or the leaves, these beneficial bacteria aid in the decomposition process, thus allowing more food to be available and assimilated by the plant. For this same reason, spraying probiotics onto compost heaps can accelerate the decomposition. Beneficial microorganisms are a catalyst within vermicomposting as well, because earthworms digest bacteria that break down food scraps and waste.
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