Alternatives to straw for bedding?

blue5000

I' m thinking of using peat instead of straw to bed bulls. I have used woodchip in the past, but I reckon it takes too long too rot. Waste screenings/chaff is another alternative. Just wondering what have people on here have used and how did it work out? I have my own straw but will be feeding it this winter instead of bedding. There is no slats in the shed.

gozunda

blue5000 wrote: »

I' m thinking of using peat instead of straw to bed bulls. I have used woodchip in the past, but I reckon it takes too long too rot. Waste screenings/chaff is another alternative. Just wondering what have people on here have used and how did it work out? I have my own straw but will be feeding it this winter instead of bedding. There is no slats in the shed.

Try miscanthus aka Ely grass. Good thing about it is that you can deep bed it and remove the worst when necessary. It also breaks down very very well.

gozunda

blue5000 wrote: »

I' m thinking of using peat instead of straw to bed bulls. I have used woodchip in the past, but I reckon it takes too long too rot. Waste screenings/chaff is another alternative. Just wondering what have people on here have used and how did it work out? I have my own straw but will be feeding it this winter instead of bedding. There is no slats in the shed.

Try miscanthus aka Ely grass. Good thing about it is that you can deep bed it and remove the worst when necessary. It also breaks down very very well.

atlantic mist

considering puttin calves on sand next year anyone try it before?

lakill Farm

atlantic mist wrote: »

considering puttin calves on sand next year anyone try it before?

I heard on straw bedding on round stone but never direct sand

blue5000

gozunda wrote: »

Try miscanthus aka Ely grass. Good thing about it is that you can deep bed it and remove the worst when necessary. It also breaks down very very well.

Only problem with this is that it is still 50% moisture at this time of year. It is harvested in March/April at 75-80% DM. Cattle are gone out then, so it ties up a shed and cash for 6 months before using it. Is there much of it available and what price would it be? Might be an option for next year.

lakill Farm

blue5000 wrote: »

Only problem with this is that it is still 50% moisture at this time of year. It is harvested in March/April at 75-80% DM. Cattle are gone out then, so it ties up a shed and cash for 6 months before using it. Is there much of it available and what price would it be? Might be an option for next year.

lad in Mullingar sells it by the lorry load. he does be on donedeal

Ray is his name.

farm14

blue5000 wrote: »

I' m thinking of using peat instead of straw to bed bulls. I have used woodchip in the past, but I reckon it takes too long too rot. Waste screenings/chaff is another alternative. Just wondering what have people on here have used and how did it work out? I have my own straw but will be feeding it this winter instead of bedding. There is no slats in the shed.

Neighbor uses peat for his bulls. Says its v good.

Bullocks

I know you're looking for alternatives to straw but would straw be cheaper than most alternatives even if you have to buy in extra

Cattlepen

If you can get peat at a reasonable price it is great stuff. Cattle love Lieing in it. Lasts well too

Mad4simmental

If you can get good peet mul it's the best bedding for bulls. Once a week go in with the forks on the loader and rough it all up. Good deep bed a few foot if you can and it will last for a long time. If your near Laois/tipp I can send you a number of a lad.

ford 5600

The year that's in it, you would be as well with straw on a price basis. Bed the cattle with your own straw, and buy hay or silage, you won't get either as cheap too often. I have used peat the last 2 winters under weanlings. It's very handy from a labour point of view, not sure if they perform as well on it though, and you would buy a good bit of straw for the same money this year , but not every year I know. I used to put in around a foot deep , after maybe a month let stock into a yard , and scrape maybe3 or 4 inches of the murkier stuff off the top, and you will get another 3 or 4 weeks out of it . When it gets mucky, you may clear it out immediately , as it will go into gruel in 1 or 2 days and nearly flow out. One thing I noticed last year, was where the heap was in the field, it grew nettles 2 foot high on the pile. Cattle on a good straw bed always happy, but you may bed them once or twice a week . That actually is the one thing would sway me for the peat. You have bulls and safety wise, no need to get in with them to bed them would be a major plus. The peat I used was actually what falls out of a cleaner loader filling turf for sale, the lumper the better, makes soak age for longer. You need to till up fine stuff to get any lasting out of it.

gozunda

blue5000 wrote: »

Only problem with this is that it is still 50% moisture at this time of year. It is harvested in March/April at 75-80% DM. Cattle are gone out then, so it ties up a shed and cash for 6 months before using it. Is there much of it available and what price would it be? Might be an option for next year.

There are several suppliers that sell last years harvested grass which is fully dried. I'm presuming your referring to stuff you have grown yourself