Sawdust bedding

Grueller

I have been offered sawdust bedding by an acquaintance who is a joiner. If will be a mix of softwood and hardwood. It will all be through an extractor from machines so no floor sweepings or screws etc.
I plan to bed a loose shed of suckler replacement heifers with it. 4 bay shed 28ft wide. He will have enough to keep this shed bedded all winter.
Has anyone here used it? Is it any good? Also I have to find out a fair price. Maybe its worth nothing and if thats the case he is willing to give it for free but I want to be fair.

charolais0153

Grueller wrote: »

I have been offered sawdust bedding by an acquaintance who is a joiner. If will be a mix of softwood and hardwood. It will all be through an extractor from machines so no floor sweepings or screws etc.
I plan to bed a loose shed of suckler replacement heifers with it. 4 bay shed 28ft wide. He will have enough to keep this shed bedded all winter.
Has anyone here used it? Is it any good? Also I have to find out a fair price. Maybe its worth nothing and if thats the case he is willing to give it for free but I want to be fair.

Ya a decent job but fairly goes to slop towards the end

Grueller

charolais0153 wrote: »

Ya a decent job but fairly goes to slop towards the end

Would it be be any improvement to mix it with a small bif of straw? Soakage under the straw keeping the straw dry for longer iykwim?

charolais0153

Grueller wrote: »

Would it be be any improvement to mix it with a small bif of straw? Soakage under the straw keeping the straw dry for longer iykwim?

Idk. Just know a man that uses it. The cattle used to only make balls of the straw.

Who2

I use it regularly and find it a good job. The trick is to have a depth of it. I never seen it go into mush. The cattle stay extremely clean on it.

Grueller

Who2 wrote: »

I use it regularly and find it a good job. The trick is to have a depth of it. I never seen it go into mush. The cattle stay extremely clean on it.

I will have enough to have a foot of it to start and should be able to maintain that all winter.

furandfeather

Grueller wrote: »

I will have enough to have a foot of it to start and should be able to maintain that all winter.

I've used it the past few years but only in creep areas for strong calves. Find it great, very clean and calves seem very content on it. I pay €70 euro for a big 16ft grain trailer load of it, packed to the gills, I've to draw it myself and return the trailer again

Grueller

furandfeather wrote: »

I've used it the past few years but only in creep areas for strong calves. Find it great, very clean and calves seem very content on it. I pay €70 euro for a big 16ft grain trailer load of it, packed to the gills, I've to draw it myself and return the trailer again

Thanks for that f&f. Looks like it will be a good low cost option for part of my bedding requirements so.

Aravo

Bord na Mona peat bedding could also be an option. At €15/m3 bulk buy think it's €23 if in large tonne bags. this represents good value especially with the current price if straw.

Markcheese

Aravo wrote: »

Bord na Mona peat bedding could also be an option. At €15/m3 bulk buy think it's €23 if in large tonne bags. this represents good value especially with the current price if straw.

I read somewhere that the dung and Peat can be spread straight from the shed, and it's a great soil conditioner, both of which are pluses...
If they ever start baling it cheaply it'll make transporting long distance and handling it a doddle...

Aravo

Markcheese wrote:

If they ever start baling it cheaply it'll make transporting long distance and handling it a doddle...

BNM don't do things cheaply.