Level of airborne bovine epithelial antigen in Finnish cowsheds

Samples of airborne particulate material were collected from 18 Finnish cowsheds both at stationary sites and in breathing zones. The concentrations of bovine epithelial antigen (BEA) in samples were analyzed by the immunochemical enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) inhibition test. For total dust and BEA measurements the range of results among cowsheds was wide. In the breathing zone the mean concentration of total dust was 2.4 +/- 1.5 mg/m3 and of BEA 460 +/- 300 ng/m3. The concentrations of total dust and BEA were significantly lower at stationary sites than in breathing zones. Correlation analyses of total dust and BEA concentrations revealed that only moderate correlations existed, and they were not statistically significant (P greater than 0.05). Correlations between BEA concentrations in feeding passage or manure passage and breathing zone were at most only moderate (rs 0.29, P = 0.12 and rs 0.42, P = 0.02, respectively). The correlation of BEA concentrations between the two stationary sites was relatively strong and significant (rs 0.71, P = 0.004), suggesting that the variation in BEA concentrations between cowsheds is real. The effects of brushing and number of animals on total dust and BEA concentrations were studied statistically in samples from the breathing zone. No high or significant correlations were observed.