Sand/Dirt for Show Barn

[steerraiser]

We just built our new barn and are now looking for the best sand/dirt to put in it to minimize dust and be the best footing for our show calves.  We raise and sell steers and heifers and will have around 40-50 prospects in and around the barn during selling season that will be tied up and halter broken, clipped, etc...The tie rails will all be cedar shavings but all the pens and alleys will be sand/dirt. We want to minimize the dust issues and have some good sand/dirt that will be comfortable for the calves and that they would do well on.  What does everyone recommend on this subject?  fyi, we r located in Central Texas if that matters

 

[vc]

The ranch we got our calves had ceder in the allies, tie out areas and DG (Decomposed Granite) in the pens leading to the runs, They raked and wet down the runs each day, very little or no dust to speak of. My son worked for them for 2 months prior to the sale and said they spent a half hour to an hour every night getting the ceder right, and during the day when the calves were tied the DG got raked and watered down. Barn always looked like it was sale day.

We put DG in all or barn pens for dust and it is readily available here, was $16.50 a yard delivered or $11 a ton plus delivery plus $80 delivery on a truck and transfer.

 

[chambero]

I prefer a fairly coarse river sand, but that's easy for us to get in N Tex because of the mines on the Red River.  You do not want something that packs down too easy.

 

[Angusboy]

I would suggest packing down dirt in the alleys to where its rock hard then put wood shavings of your choice in the pens.

 

[steerraiser]

ttt