The invention herein described relates generally to materials useful as bedding for large animals, and to methods of using the material as an animal bedding. More particularly, the invention relates to an animal bedding material composed of crimped cellulose paper strips, and methods of using same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Bedding materials are commonly used in stalls for large animals, such as horses, to capture animal waste and provide cushioning beneath the animal. A good bedding material should be easy to "muck out", which involves using a pitch fork to lift and shake a quantity of the bedding material such that unsoiled bedding material falls away from the pitch fork while the waste and soiled bedding material is retained on the tines of the pitch fork so that it can be tossed away. The bedding material should also be sufficiently absorbent to absorb liquid waste for subsequent disposal when the stall is mucked out. Oftentimes, the soiled bedding is used as a compost particularly in the mushroom growing industry. Other desirable attributes of a bedding material are cleanliness, appearance, odor reducing capability, nontoxicity and biodegradability.

Heretofore, straw and wood chip shavings have been widely used bedding materials for large animals such as horses. Both have acceptable "muck out" qualities, although wood chip shavings are easier to "muck out" than straw. Both materials also have acceptable absorption properties. Nevertheless, the use of straw and wood chip shavings for large animal bedding is not without drawbacks. For example, wood chip shavings have a tendency to cling to the animal. Additionally, both wood chip shavings and straw are dusty. Dust is a significant problem in controlled environments as the dust gets into the ventilation system and clogs filters. Also, dust is undesirable for medical reasons and is of concern to veterinarians.

Shredded recycled paper, specifically newsprint and computer paper, has been proposed as an alternative to straw and wood chip shavings. Shredded recycled paper, however, has been considered undesirable because of ink transfer to the animal and dust. Also, shredded paper usually lays flat and has a tendency to mat, thereby providing less cushioning than wood chip shavings or straw.

U.S. Patent Nos. 5,088,972, 5, 134,013 and 5,173,352 disclose another type of paper product particularly well suited for use as a void fill material in place of plastic peanuts. The product generally comprises a mass of intertwined crimped cellulose paper strips. Each paper strip has a narrow width, an elongated length, and over the length thereof a plurality of transverse folds alternately creased in opposite directions to provide each strip with an accordion-like construction. The paper strips in the mass are generally intertwined or interconnected with each other, this along with their crimped construction providing a resiliently compressible mass of such strips having the ability to resist compressive forces as is desirable for use as a packaging material.

The aforesaid patents have suggested a variety of uses for the paper strips including use as an animal bedding. While the commercially available strips sold by Ranpak Corp. of Concord Township, Ohio, sold under the trademark EcoPak ^® , may be suitable for use as a bedding material for small animals under 100 pounds, such as cats, dogs and the like, they are generally unsuitable for use as a bedding material for larger animals such as horses. The paper strips are difficult to "muck out" as they tend to stay interconnected, this resulting in disposal of a relatively high percentage of unsoiled material with the soiled material. Another drawback is the material's tendency to clump. Although this is good for packing, it causes bare spots on the floor of a stall when a horse or other large animal drags its hoof along the floor. The EcoPak ^® paper strips used for packaging have been about 1 /8 inch in width and about 4 inches in unfolded length, and thus have an unfolded length-to-width ratio of about 32. Ranpak Corp. also

sells under the trademark SizzlePak ^® a similar type strip in a variety of colors. This strip, which is about 1 /8 inch wide and about 9 inches in unfolded length, has a variety of uses including use as a decorative packaging material, a decorative accent for flower arrangements, etc. Another concern to stables and race tracks is disposal of the waste bedding material. Heretofore, many race tracks and stables looked to mushroom composters to remove this solid waste product from their premises. The mushroom composters, however, demanded horse manure be bedded on wheat straw, while alternatives such as wood chips were often frowned on and rejected by those who use the horse manure to make mushroom compost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a novel bedding material for large animals that eliminates one or more of the drawbacks associated with previously used bedding materials such as straw and wood chip shavings.

The material is characterized by a resiliently compressible, loose assemblage of crimped cellulose paper strips each having over the length thereof a plurality of transverse folds alternately creased in opposite directions to provide the strip with an accordion-like construction. In accordance with the invention, each of the paper strips has a width greater than about 3/16 inch and an average folded length of about 1 inch or less. Characterized otherwise, each of the paper strips have an unfolded length-to-width ratio of at least about 7 and have an average folded length less than about 75% of its unfolded length. In relation to the above discussed EcoPak ^® paper strip material, bedding material according to the present invention have desirable mucking out properties akin to those of wood chip shavings, and are less prone to clumping thereby eliminating or minimizing the problem of bare spots. In relation to wood chip shavings and straw, bedding material according to the present invention is relatively dust-free and is more compressible for improved cushioning and also for reduced volume transport and storage of use equivalent amounts of bedding product.

A preferred bedding material according to the present invention has more consistent quality than typically encountered when using straw or wood chip shavings, being found to be able to maintain its integrity for long periods of time, such as a week or more. In addition, a preferred bedding material according to the invention has been found to reduce waste when mucking out, and reduce odors. Further, the bedding material is less prone to clinging to the animal when compared to wood chip shavings, and provides a more sterile environment for the animal, which can be advantageous for valuable and/or sick animals and particularly advantageous where an animal is recovering from surgical or other wounds. According to a preferred embodiment, the paper strips are biodegradable and may be made of kraft paper. Additionally, the width and length of the paper strips are selected to avoid the strips from being intertwined and interlocked, so that they are more free-flowing. It further is noted as an advantage of the invention that at least some animals, in particular horses, are less inclined to eat the bedding when compared to straw. The bedding material may also be treated with an odor reducing or neutralizing agent for enhancing odor elimination. However, even without such an odor reducing agent, the bedding material has been found to significantly reduce odor when compared with straw. The bedding material may also be treated with other use enhancing additives such as an anti-bacterial agent or flame-retardant agent. In addition, a preferred bedding material according to the invention is useful as a compost after soiling, and has other desirable attributes including increased absorption, cleanliness, pleasing appearance and nontoxicity. All of these and still other advantages are attainable by the present invention.

The invention also provides a method of using the aforesaid material as bedding for large animals, such as animals weighing more than 100 pounds and usually more than 200 pounds or more, such as horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, etc. Such use involves spreading the paper strips over a floor, such as the floor of a stall, thereby covering the floor to provide cushioning for the animal and also a vehicle for absorbing animal waste and otherwise

facilitating disposal of animal waste. Because of its resiliently compressible nature, the bedding product may be stored and/or shipped in a relatively compressed condition in a container, such as a bag, and later removed from the container and allowed to expand as while it is being spread onto the floor of a stall.

Accordingly, the invention provides a method for housing a large animal including the steps of keeping the animal in an enclosed area, and covering the floor of the closed area with the aforesaid bedding material. The invention also provides an animal housing structure comprising an enclosed area for keeping the animal and the aforesaid bedding material covering the floor of the enclosed area.

The invention also advantageously provides a new product for mushroom growing, while alleviating a disposal problem for stables, race tracks, etc. This new product, or compost ingredient, is characterized by a resiliently compressible, loose assemblage of crimped cellulose paper strips each having over the length thereof a plurality of transverse folds alternately creased in opposite directions to provide the strip with an accordion-like construction, which strips are intermixed with and/or soiled by manure, particularly horse manure. This compost ingredient may be used alone and/or with other compost base material, such as wheat straw bedded horse manure, to form a compost and particularly a compost suitable for growing mushrooms. Thus, the invention also provides a method for growing mushrooms.

The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this embodiment being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of an animal bedding material according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration showing use of the bedding material according to the invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration showing a tray of compost on which mushrooms are grown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As above indicated, Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an animal bedding material according to the invention, The bedding material, designated generally by reference numeral 10, comprises a plurality of crimped cellulose paper strips 12. The paper strips are generally of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,088,972, 5,134,013 and 5,173,352, and in U.S. Patent Application Nos. 07/861 ,225 and 08/153,360, which patents and applications are assigned to applicant's assignee and are hereby incorporated herein by this reference. Accordingly, each paper strip 12 has a narrow width, an elongated length, and over the length thereof a plurality of transverse folds alternately creased in opposite directions to provide each strip with an accordion-like construction. However, in accordance with the present invention, the paper strips are dimensioned to provide a product suitable for use as a bedding material for large animals, whereas the presently commercially available form of the paper product is generally unsuitable for use as a bedding for large animals, as was discussed above. In accordance with the present invention, each of the paper strips 12 has a width greater than about 3/16 inch and more preferably a width between about 1 /4 inch and about 1 inch, with a most preferred range being about 1 /4 inch to about 1 /2 inch. Each paper strip has an average folded length no greater than about 1.5 inches and more preferably no greater than about 1 inch, or less. Although shorter lengths are preferred to minimize any tendency of the strips to interlock with one another, a practical minimum average folded length is about 1 /2 inch. Preferably, each strip has

an unfolded length less than about 3 inches, and more particularly an unfolded length between about 1 /2 inch and about 2.5 inches, with a preferred range being between about 1 inch and about 2.25 inches. The number of folds will be dependent on the width and length, there generally being between about 1 to about 20 transverse folds or creases per inch of unfolded length, and more preferably between about 6 to about 16 transverse folds or creases per inch of unfolded length.

As will be appreciated, wider widths will enable the use of longer lengths, while, conversely, narrower widths will require shorter lengths. Hence, the dimensions of the strips can be characterized in a more relational sense. Accordingly, each of the paper strips may have an unfolded length- to-width ratio of at least about 7:1 and an average folded length less than about 75% of its unfolded length. More preferably, the paper strips have an average unfolded length-to-width ratio in the range of about 1 :1 to 20:1 and still more preferably in the range of about 5:1 to 10:1 ; while the average folded length is between about 25-75% of the unfolded length and more preferably between about 40-60%.

The paper strips 12 can be made of any type of cellulose paper that is absorbent to animal waste and of sufficient strength to form the elongated crimped structures referred to above. The paper should have a moisture capacity of about 50% to about 400%, and preferably about 150% to about 300%. Examples of suitable types of paper include natural kraft paper, particularly virgin kraft paper and recycled kraft paper. Preferably, the paper has a basis weight of about 20 to about 100 pounds, and more preferably about 90 pounds. A preferred paper material is 90 pound basis weight kraft paper or equivalent Iiner board (used as the outer liners in corrugated cardboard). Also preferred is multi-ply kraft paper having a combined basis weight of about 90 pounds, such as three plies of 25-35 pound basis weight kraft paper. In either case, the single or multi-ply paper strips may be produced in the manner described in the aforesaid commonly assigned patents and patent applications.

A particularly preferred bedding material is composed of paper strips formed from 90 pound basis weight natural kraft paper having a width of about 1 /4 inch, an unfolded length of about 2 3/16 inch, and an average folded length of about 1 inch. Also, the strips may have an average number of folds per inch of about 10 to about 20. Such a material has been found to exhibit excellent mucking out properties akin to those of wood chip shavings, but without the drawbacks associated with wood chip shavings. The inventive bedding material is resistant to clumping thereby eliminating or minimizing the problem of bare spots on the floor as might arise from an animal dragging its hoof. In relation to wood chip shavings and straw, the bedding material according to the present invention is relatively dust-free and is more compressible for improved cushioning and also for reduced volume transport and storage of use equivalent amounts of bedding product. The bedding material, being a manufactured product, can exhibit more consistent quality than typically encountered when using straw or wood chip shavings. The bedding material also has been found to reduce waste when mucking out and to reduce odors up to 80% or more than straw. The bedding material also is less prone to clinging to the animal when compared to wood chip shavings. The paper strips, being made of kraft paper or paper board, are biodegradable and further may be used as a compost, particularly in the mushroom industry. It also has been found that at least some animals, in particular horses, are less inclined to eat the paper strips when compared to straw. The bedding material may also be treated with an odor reducing or neutralizing agent for enhancing odor elimination, or other use enhancing additives such as an anti-bacterial agent. However, even without such an odor reducing agent, the bedding material has been found to reduce significantly odor when compared with straw. In addition, a preferred bedding material has other desirable attributes including cleanliness, pleasing appearance and nontoxicity. All of these advantages are attainable by the present invention.

Because of its resiliently compressible nature, the bedding product 10 may be stored and/or shipped in a relatively compressed condition in a container, such as a bag, and later removed from the container and allowed to expand as while it is being spread onto the floor of a stall. Referring now to Fig. 2, there is illustrated a method of using the aforesaid material as bedding for large animals, such as animals weighing more than 100 pounds and usually more than 200 pounds or more, such as horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, etc. The reference herein to a "large" animal is intended to mean an animal weighing more than 100 pounds unless otherwise indicated.

The bedding material is used by spreading the paper strips 12 over a floor, such as the floor 22 of a stall 24, thereby covering the floor to provide cushioning for the animal 26 and also a vehicle for absorbing animal waste and otherwise facilitating disposal of animal waste. The reference numeral 24 is used to designate a stall or other enclosure, although the enclosing walls thereof are not being illustrated for simplicity of illustration and since one skilled in the art will readily appreciate the many types of enclosures with which the present invention may be practiced.

The manure laden paper strips may be used as a compost ingredient and particularly as an ingredient in compost suitable for growing mushrooms. The manure laded paper strips may be used in place of or in addition to wheat straw bedded horse manure, the latter being in common use as a primary ingredient in mushroom compost since the turn of the century. Such use may be in accordance with conventional composting and mushroom growing techniques.

The base for the compost may be formulated from 10 to 100% dry wgt. of horse manure laden paper strips (SKeep) and 0-90% dry wgt. Of other base compost such as wheat-straw-bedded horse manure (WSHM). More preferably, the compost base contains 30-100%, more preferably 70- 100% and still more preferably 100% SKeep, with the balance formed by another compost base or bases, preferably WSHM. The compost may also

include other conventional composting ingredients such as poultry manure, for example in the range of 68 to 156 pounds per ton. Other ingredients are set forth in Table 1 below.

In order to test the efficacy of the manure laden paper strips in a compost for growing mushrooms, an experiment was conducted. The aforedescribed paper strips were used as horse bedding for a week at a stable, after which the manure laden paper strips were collected and used as a mushroom compost ingredient.

Composts were formulated to provide for a comparison between the horse manure laden paper strips (SKeep) and manure laden wheat straw, herein referred to as wheat-straw-bedded horse manure (WSHM). Partial amounts of SKeep also were mixed with WSHM for comparison testing. Tables 1 A-1 D Iists the ingredients used in four composts that were prepared.

100% SKeep

Ingred Wet Wgt H ₂ 0 Dry %N Lbs N #/T(dry) C:N Wgt

SKeep 360 20 288 0.7 2.02 — —

Poultry 24 7 22.4 4.5 1.01 156 —

B Grain 21 7 19.5 4.0 0.78 135 ~

Gyp 12 3 1 1.6 — — — —

Total 341.5 1.12 3.81 — 1 :38

Table 1A

70% SKeep

Ingred Wet Wgt H ₂ 0 Dry %N Lbs N #/T(dry) C:N Wgt

SKeep 243 20 194.4 0.70 1.36 — —

WSHM 125 30 87.5 1.10 0.96 — —

Poultry 12 7 1 1.2 4.50 0.50 80 —

B Grain 16 7 14.9 4.00 0.60 106 —

Gyp 12 3 1 1.6 — — 82 —

Total — 319.6 1.07 3.42 — 1 :37

Table 1 B

30% SKeep

Ingred Wet Wgt H ₂ 0 Dry %N Lbs N #/T(dry) C:N Wgt

SKeep 1 13 20 90.4 0.70 0.63 — —

WSHM 263 30 184.1 1.1 1.03 — —

Poultry 10 7 9.3 4.50 0.42 68 —

B Grain 3 7 2.79 4.00 0.1 1 21 —

Gyp 12 3 1 1.6 — — 85 —

Total — 292.2 1.08 3.16 — 1 :34

Table 1 C

100% Wheat Straw Horse Manure

Ingred Wet Wgt H ₂ 0 Dry %N Lbs N #/T(dry) C:N Wgt

WHSM 400 30 280 1.1 3.08 — —

Poultry 16 7 14.9 4.5 0.70 106 —

B Grain 18 7 16.7 4.0 0.70 1 19 —

Gyp 12 0 12 — — —

Total — — 323.6 1.00 3.22 1 :35

Table 1 D

Ingredients for four piles of compost were formulated, based on their nitrogen content (%N) and initial Carbon:Nitrogen (C:N) ratio, weighed, and formed into small, separated piles of between 1.5 and 2.0 cubic yards.

The initial phase of composting, Phase I, was conducted using a typical turning schedule and irrigation regime. Compost piles were built on Day 1 , and periodically turned approximately every other day until Day 10 for a 9-day composting schedule with no pre-conditioning. Water was applied to the compost based on the color, feel, and temperature regime of each compost pile, and water additions occurred throughout Phase I composting.

After 9 days of outdoor composting, Phase 1 , the compost was filled into wooden trays, 2 x 2 x 0.5 ft. which were stacked 6 to 8 high, and placed into a controlled environment room for Phase II composting. Phase II composting was monitored and controlled according to conventional programs used for WSHM. The goal of Phase II composting was to deam onify the compost, pasteurize the compost to kill unwanted pests, and to condition the compost to assure that it was neither greasy nor wet when the compost was spawned (seeded).

Each of the four composts were removed from the Phase II room separately on Day 17. Compost from the trays of one compost formulation was thoroughly mixed, supplemented with Campbell's Fresh S-41 at 4%

[(dry wgt. Basis) to enhance mushroom yield], and filled by weighing the same amount of compost (50 Lbs.) into preweighed wooden trays. Mushroom spawn, J.B. Swayne Spawn Co., Kennett Square, PA, Strain K-6, was mixed with the compost. The compost, supplement and spawn mixture was packed into each tray in three layers to assure a complete mixing and uniform packing of the compost.

Trays of spawned compost were placed into spawn-growing rooms where the temperature and humidity were monitored and controlled according to conventional programs used for WSHM. The mean compost temperature during spawn run was 78°F, with a variance of 2°F throughout the 13-day spawn run period that ended on Day 31. Spawn growth was graded and the surface of each tray was top-dressed (cased) with a layer of wetted, not pasteurized, sphagnum peat moss mixed with agricultural limestone to a depth of 1.25". Before the casing was applied, the casing had been mixed with commercial CAC obtained from the spawn company.

CAC'ing was added at the rate of 0.8 Lbs. per 10 sq. ft. of surface cased. Adding CAC to mushroom casing reduced the days until picking begins and mushrooms are more uniformly distributed over the surface of the casing. Cased trays were placed into growing rooms with controlled environments in a completely random design to satisfy statistical design requirements. In Fig. 3, a casing 30 contains compost 32 on which a top dressing 34 is applied. Routine cropping and irrigation practices were followed. Picking began 16 days after casing. The harvest continued for 28 days, with picking taking place each day mushrooms were ready, i.e., mature enough to be harvested.

The experiment was organized to provide for seven replicated trays for each of the four compost treatments. The number and weight of each day's pick was recorded and these data were summarized into 4, 7-day breaks at the conclusion of the picking. The collated data were subjected to statistical analysis (analysis of variance) and treatment means for each

parameter, i.e., yield, number, average weight, were separated using a combined Duncan's L.S.D. procedure.

Composting temperatures for SKeep during Phase I composting were highest after 1 st turning (159-162°F), and were associated with the 66% SKeep. WSHM temperatures were maximum after 2nd turning, but they only reached to between 141 -152°F. The lowest composting temperatures of the SKeep treatments were associated with the 100% SKeep, although this treatment experienced 150-154°F after second turning for more than 12 hours. Temperatures for all treatments were below 150°F between third turning and the filling.

The formulations in Table 1 for the four composts had balanced nitrogen contents and high C:N ratios. Additions of poultry manure ranged from 68 to 156 Lb. per ton, depending on the treatment. These levels of poultry manure supplementation should have been acceptable.

Throughout Phase I composting, physical shrinkage occurred as the bulk ingredients softened and collapsed. As reported in Table 2, maximum shrinkage of 47% was associated with WSHM, after 3rd turn.

Phase 1/ 1st 2nd 3rd

Compost Build Turn Turn Turn Fill

Ingred 9/1 1 9/12 9/13 9/14 9/15 9/16 9/18 9/20 Loss"

SKeep 40% ^a 100% 1.58 1.45 1.35 1.07 1.07 1.02 0.95 0.72

SKeep 42%' 66% 1.67 1.50 1.42 1.18 1.10 1.05 0.99 0.91

SKeep 36% ^β 30% 1 .68 1 .56 1.47 1.22 1.18 1.09 1.02 1.04

WSHM 47%" 100% 2.15 1.99 1.82 1.49 1.43 1.29 1.14 1 .22

Loss = Volume 9/18 /Volume 9/1 1 x 100

Values in the same column not followed by the same letter are significantly different.

Table 2

The composts containing SKeep also shrunk, but their shrinkage ranged from 36 to 42% after 3rd turning.

Losses of compost occurred as a result of Phase II composting. Table 3 reflects compost weight losses on the basis of both wet and dry compost weights.

100% SKeep 70% SKeep 30% SKeep 100% WSHM

Wet ⁸ Fill Wgt. 41 .5 43.2 42.9 46.8

Spawn Wgt. 25.9 25.0 30.1 32.9

Difference % ^b -37.6 -42.1 -29.8 -29.7

Dry ⁰ Fill Wgt. 12.67 14.18 1 1 .40 12.64

Spawn Wgt. 8.00 8.93 9.24 10.13

Difference % -36.9 -37.0 -16.3 -19.9

Average wet weight of compost (Lbs) in 2 x 2 x 0.5 ft. wooden trays. % Difference = Fill Wgt - Spawn Wgt/Fill Wgt x 100 Dry wgt = Wet Wgt x (100 - % H ₂ 0)

Table 3

More loss occurred as the percentage of SKeep increased, up to 37 to 38% for 100% SKeep versus 20 to 30% for WSHM. These compost losses are based on compost weight. Mushroom compost made with SKeep shrunk more than wheat straw based horse manure during Phase II composting.

Chemical analyses of the different composts are included as Table 4. These data suggest the WSHM was overly supplemented with nitrogen containing materials, poultry manure and brewer's grains. The high %N in the WSHM at spawning hints that the WSHM compost needed more conditioning (time) during Phase II composting than the SKeep-containing composts. Ammonia contents, pH's, and water content were acceptable.

Ingred/ %N %NH ₃ ^* PH %H ₂ 0 % Ash C/N Time

100%

SKeep Fill 1.87 0.18 7.81 69.5 14.9 —

Spawn 1 .91 0.01 7.63 69.1 17.3 1 :20

70%

SKeep Fill 2.02 0.07 7.65 67.2 18.5 —

Spawn 1 .96 0.01 7.57 64.3 20.4 1 :19

30%

SKeep Fill 1.96 0.02 7.74 73.4 24.1 —

Spawn 2.18 0.01 7.74 69.3 27.3 1 : 16

Straw HM

Fill 2.12 0.06 7.74 73.0 27.3 —

Spawn 2.70 0.01 7.63 69.2 32.0 1 :14

Table 4 The low ash contents associated with the 100% SKeep reflected the purity of the base material, brown Kraft paper. The lower ash contents of the three SKeep-based composts resulted in significantly higher amounts of organic matter; organic matter is what supports the growth of mushrooms. The range in C:N ratios is related to the nitrogen and ash contents of the different compost formulations.

Observations of all the composts at spawning indicated they were chocolate brown in color, clear of ammonia, of medium length, with good to dry moisture levels. All of the composts containing HSpHM packed into the trays much more readily than the WSHM control treatment compost at spawning. SKeep appears to allow for higher fill weights.

The best overall score for spawn growth was associated with WSHM compost, with 100% SKeep compost in 2nd place. Composts made with proportions of WSHM and SKeep were the poorest in spawn growth

characteristics. All treatments had uncolonized surface compost, black streaks or spots, decreasing in size from the 30% and 66% HS treatments, to 100% SKeep, and almost none with 100% WSHM treatment. Ink caps, Coprinus sp., were growing in the black, uncolonized compost; 100% HM had some green mold, Trichoderma sp., at the time of casing.

Total yield, after a harvest period of 28 days (4 breaks), was not significantly different for 3 of the 4 treatments (compost formulations). See Table 5.

Treatment Tot Mush No. Mushroom/Lb Lbs/ft ² Bio Effic"

100% SKeep 4370 a ^b 38.7 a 4.03 104.4 a %

70% SKeep 3793 ab 41.2 a 3.29 73.8 abc %

30% SKeep 2710 be 35.3 a 2.74 71.4 be %

Straw HM 3402 ab 33.1 a 3.68 95.6 ab %

BioEfficiency = Dry Wgt Compost at Spawning/Fresh Wgt Mushrooms (Per sq. ft.) X 100

Table 5

The yield from 100% SKeep compost, 100% WSHM compost and 70% SKeep did not differ from each other in a statistical sense. The yield between the two proportional composts made from SKeep did not differ from each other, statistically. Mushroom size, mushrooms per pound, was not affected by the compost ingredients. Aside from the 30% SKeep compost, there was no statistical difference in the number of mushrooms harvested from any of the compost formulations. Inclusion of biological efficiency calculations reflects on the conversion of compost to mushrooms. Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain preferred embodiment, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and

modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification. The present invention includes all such equivalent alterations and modifications.