Bedding for cattle

Spiker21

Hi guys, have a predicament here. We’ve got a two bay dry shed holding about 10 at the moment, 4 yearlings 4 bullocks and two cows. We’re bedding them with straw at the moment but we’re flying through the stuff. A bale lasts about 6-8 days and then they are swimming in the stuff and adding in more straw just doesn’t seem to make a difference and the price of the stuff is killing me. So many people use wood chip for bedding and what are the thoughts on it? Could you put a foot of it down and turn it every week or so and add straw on top if need be?

Thanks

Say my name

Don't under no circumstances get 'recycled' woodchip. No matter how convincing the salesman is on the phone.

Been there. Done that. And got the chopped plastic, aluminium cans and glass with it.
It should be banned from agricultural use and only go for incineration.


Insist on seeing the woodchip on their site before delivery. If not walk away.
"Woodchip" covers a broad church.

Spiker21

A friend of the family has a tree surgeon business and I was thinking of approaching him about some. Provided it’s dry enough that stuff would be suitable yea?

Say my name

Spiker21 wrote: »

A friend of the family has a tree surgeon business and I was thinking of approaching him about some. Provided it’s dry enough that stuff would be suitable yea?

Yea if it's natural. No bother.

If it's free even better.

Good reports coming back on peat bedding too. If you don't mind the fact of a carbon sink being dug up and used that is.
Bord na Mona stuff seems best.

Reggie.

Spiker21 wrote: »

Hi guys, have a predicament here. We’ve got a two bay dry shed holding about 10 at the moment, 4 yearlings 4 bullocks and two cows. We’re bedding them with straw at the moment but we’re flying through the stuff. A bale lasts about 6-8 days and then they are swimming in the stuff and adding in more straw just doesn’t seem to make a difference and the price of the stuff is killing me. So many people use wood chip for bedding and what are the thoughts on it? Could you put a foot of it down and turn it every week or so and add straw on top if need be?

Thanks

Have ya access to peat?

Spiker21

Reggie. wrote: »

Have ya access to peat?

Not at such short notice no. Hopefully try that next year and see how that goes.

Reggie.

Spiker21 wrote: »

Not at such short notice no. Hopefully try that next year and see how that goes.

Where are ya based

visatorro

I know a man that will deliver!

Reggie.

visatorro wrote: »

I know a man that will deliver!

Within reason

GrasstoMilk

Say my name wrote: »

Don't under no circumstances get 'recycled' woodchip. No matter how convincing the salesman is on the phone.

Been there. Done that. And got the chopped plastic, aluminium cans and glass with it.
It should be banned from agricultural use and only go for incineration.


Insist on seeing the woodchip on their site before delivery. If not walk away.
"Woodchip" covers a broad church.

Did you buy off the local lad that sells on donedeal?
I was onto him for a load for an open yard/shed where I'm.going to rear some heifer calves, he was pushing me towards the recycled stuff

Spiker21

Reggie. wrote: »

Where are ya based

North Roscommon

Reggie.

Spiker21 wrote: »

North Roscommon

Try these guys
https://www.donedeal.ie/farmproduce-for-sale/premium-irish-peat-bedding-peat-bales/14203895

Say my name

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Did you buy off the local lad that sells on donedeal?
I was onto him for a load for an open yard/shed where I'm.going to rear some heifer calves, he was pushing me towards the recycled stuff

You had a near miss there.
My load was tipped off at 6 in the dark in a cloud of dust. And says I it's good dry stuff and cheque wrote out. Different story in the daylight. Cheque cancelled and he had to collect it.
He told me he was heading to Bunclody with that load however when loaded headed in New Ross direction, again for a darkness tip up.

I got a load of virgin woodchip off him.
It's very wet though and barky. You'd buy a lot of straw at the price. Maybe not at today's straw price but ykwim.
It'll rot down no problem anyway and make some good humic manure.
But as a stand alone bedding..
What I learned from the episode is if you have a good tractor. Go direct to the supplier.

GrasstoMilk

Say my name wrote: »

You had a near miss there.
My load was tipped off at 6 in the dark in a cloud of dust. And says I it's good dry stuff and cheque wrote out. Different story in the daylight. Cheque cancelled and he had to collect it.
He told me he was heading to Bunclody with that load however when loaded headed in New Ross direction, again for a darkness tip up.

I got a load of virgin woodchip off him.
It's very wet though and barky. You'd buy a lot of straw at the price. Maybe not at today's straw price but ykwim.
It'll rot down no problem anyway and make some good humic manure.
But as a stand alone bedding..
What I learned from the episode is if you have a good tractor. Go direct to the supplier.

Good to know! I know him well and that would be how he operates

lefthooker

Say my name wrote: »

You had a near miss there.
My load was tipped off at 6 in the dark in a cloud of dust. And says I it's good dry stuff and cheque wrote out. Different story in the daylight. Cheque cancelled and he had to collect it.
He told me he was heading to Bunclody with that load however when loaded headed in New Ross direction, again for a darkness tip up.

I got a load of virgin woodchip off him.
It's very wet though and barky. You'd buy a lot of straw at the price. Maybe not at today's straw price but ykwim.
It'll rot down no problem anyway and make some good humic manure.
But as a stand alone bedding..
What I learned from the episode is if you have a good tractor. Go direct to the supplier.

Do you mind me asking who or where is the supplier? PM if you like.

older by the day

Spiker21 wrote: »

Hi guys, have a predicament here. We’ve got a two bay dry shed holding about 10 at the moment, 4 yearlings 4 bullocks and two cows. We’re bedding them with straw at the moment but we’re flying through the stuff. A bale lasts about 6-8 days and then they are swimming in the stuff and adding in more straw just doesn’t seem to make a difference and the price of the stuff is killing me. So many people use wood chip for bedding and what are the thoughts on it? Could you put a foot of it down and turn it every week or so and add straw on top if need be?

Thanks

Have you any bad bit of a dry hill, and a round feeder, that many cattle if spread out wouldn't do much damage

memorystick

Reggie. wrote: »

Have ya access to peat?

A lad near me was caught stealing around 30 load of peat moss off the end of a bord ma mona clamp. He's lucky he wasn't charged.

Dakota Dan

memorystick wrote: »

A lad near me was caught stealing around 30 load of peat moss off the end of a bord ma mona clamp. He's lucky he wasn't charged.

That's a lot of peat, how did he get away with it?

Reggie.

memorystick wrote: »

A lad near me was caught stealing around 30 load of peat moss off the end of a bord ma mona clamp. He's lucky he wasn't charged.

Jaysus

memorystick

Dakota Dan wrote: »

That's a lot of peat, how did he get away with it?

The guy over the peat land is his wife's cousin. He tore stripes off him and left him in tears. No sympathy for him.

Reggie.

memorystick wrote: »

The guy over the peat land is his wife's cousin. He tore stripes off him and left him in tears. No sympathy for him.

Cheeky hoor he was. Taking advantage is all