Bedding in show heifer barn

[Tri-Star Stock]

We are renovating our show heifer barn. The barn was built in the 1960's and hasn't had many upgrades. The entire barn has concrete floors, including the stalls.

We are thinking about putting down rubber horse stall mats in the stalls as opposed to bedding it down with shavings. We don't have a local supplier of shavings and it would be awfully expensive to bed down with shavings buying them by the bag.

Was wondering if anyone had ever done or seen this? Stalls in the show cattle barn wtih horse stall mats. How well do they work? Do you like them? Why or why not? What pros and cons do you see with using the horse mats?

Thanks!
Jeremy

 

[Spencer10218]

I would look into wood chips
From like a local tree service

 

[shortyjock89]

Yeah, you gotta have something other than just the mats.  You'll cut off all the hair that comes in contact with the mats, plus you'll get sores and stiff cattle. 

My dad uses ground corn cobs and the finest wood chips he can get.  It works alright.  We use cedar fiber and it's the best there is IMO.

 

[Spencer10218]

I get my saw dust from a local pallet company for free so you could see if anything like that is near you