Best type of mulch for indivizual pens?

[schroeder cattle]

Unfortunately for us we have concrete in a couple of our indivizual pens.  Normally we put about 3-4 feet of wood chips in them, but they seem to get wet pretty easily and were always replacing with new.  What do people use mulch wise to elimate this problem?

 

[showrookie]

I have recycled rubber playground mulch over concrete in my cooler about 8" thick.  It works great, comfortable for the calves and urine runs right thru to the drain and you just pick the manure.  Go in every afternoon and rinse with a hose and its just like new again.

 

[Newton]

ive heard of that rubber stuff, sounds like its a good product, been thinking of trying it, how exspensive is it?

 

[steerkid21]

We have also been thinking of trying the rubber, where would I go about looking to get some of it?

 

[schroeder cattle]

How about sand? than cover it with mulch?...

 

[showrookie]

I got mine from a tire recycling plant.  It is not cheap, I think I paid $400 per ton.  I have a 12 X 12 cooler and its about 6-8" deep, it took about a ton to do it.  The plant that I got mine from supplies it to Home Depot and Lowes, I'm sure buying it by the bag at one of those places would be even more expensive.  The up side to using it is that you will never have to replace it. 

 

[GONEWEST]

How much do you throw out when you throw the manure out?

 

[showrookie]

Dont throw any out, pick manure and throw it on a grate wash it off then put it back in cooler.

 

[showsteerdlux]

No trouble with cattle eating the stuff? I have heard horror stories of what happens when they eat stuff like this.

Personally, I love cedar fiber. I typically put down a fair bit of lime on the ground, then just fill the pens with cedar fiber. If you want to cheapen it up a little, you can mix some cedar mulch in there with it. Keeps the hair fresher imho.