Winter bedding?

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WBar Farms

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 27, 2008
Messages
321
As this season ends its time to start thinking about next season and one thing that jumped out at me was getting the cattle through winter clean and better prepared to prospect.  I have a shed and they can go into that but thats not getting the job done. Any snow gets in and well have mud its just a hassle.  I've kind of thought of three different ones.  Straw corn stalks or shavings.  I don't like straw its a real hassle to clean up.  Corn stalks seem good but will the steers munch on it and start loosing a little of their hunger? Then shavings are just expensive and would take alot and probably suck to clean out.  I guess what have you guys used and why does it work?
 

3dfarms

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Messages
266
Location
North Carolina
I have tried several of the options you mentioned.  We used to have lots of mud problems ourselves.  We fixed the mud inside and around our barns by putting down filter clothe and covering with 4-6" of gravel.  It packs down on the filter clothe like concrete.  Not the cheapest thing we have done but some state departments of Agriculture occasionally have grant monies for "heavy use areas" to help offset these costs.

In regard to the bedding itself, I prefer (just my preference) to use shavings.  I think it keeps the cattle the cleanest of what we have tried.  As long as you put together a solid base bed, and clean up after your animals on a regular basis then you will only be removing and replacing the top layer which should stay relatively cost effective during the winter.

If you are looking for something for cattle to come in and out of freely then I would lean more towards a cheaper option like straw.  Good luck, hope this helps.
 

Shghmh

Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2011
Messages
24
Last year we had a truck bring a load of wood shavings. They were bigger pieces. We had a few good inches at least in our barn. Made clean up much easier on the cows (especially show calves). All we had to do was fork out the poop every day and it went great. We did water it down some for the dust with a hose the first few days. Not saturated but misted. We even had our show steer bruise his hoof and he walked without a limp on the shavings and it was deep enough to keep him sound. Its an investment but it's much cleaner than straw or anything else! Good luck in your choice!
 
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