Bedding for cooler?

[shortyjock89]

Ok, I know that this has been gone over before.....but..you know  ))

So, I planned on having lime down in the cooler, and then bedding with sawdust, which we can get by the semi load pretty cheap.  But now I have started thinking about using ground up corn cobs, like Beck's Better Bedding.  It's about $4/ 30lb bag, and I bet I can get it cheaper if buy it in bulk. I will only have three calves in there, so I didn't know if the cheaper bedding would be better, even though it gets into the hair.

 

[red]

I'm wondering if they'd eat too much of them?

Red

 

[farmboy]

we just get some saw dust/chips from the local pallet shop, there more than happy to get rid of it for free

 

[minimoo38]

if it's too dusty or such, you don't want is flying around and going into the return.

 

[shortyjock89]

Well, I thought about getting the wood chips from the pallet factory, but they're LOADED with nails...I can truck the other sawdust in for about $5/load.
About them eating the cobs-they really don't.  I have a friend who has used them for years, and they're really happy with them. An advantage to the cobs is that they have little to no dust...
About the dust-I would wet the sawdust down, just like we do where we bed with it at shows.  I think if I kept the sawdust wet down, it would be ok...

 

[TJ]

Not saying this is the best idea, but it is an idea...

If you could find a source to get a decent amount of paper you could buy a big paper shredder & shred it yourself to save money.  Around here some places of business hire someone to pick up bundles of paper that they haul off & shred.  Just take the shreds & wet it down... maybe not the best, but it works. 

   

 

[shortyjock89]

Not saying this is the best idea, but it is an idea...

If you could find a source to get a decent amount of paper you could buy a big paper shredder & shred it yourself to save money.  Around here some places of business hire someone to pick up bundles of paper that they haul off & shred.  Just take the shreds & wet it down... maybe not the best, but it works. 

   

That might work for black calves....but ink+water+white calves= a mess.  I think I'm gonna go with lime and wetted down sawdust at home, and the cobs at shows.

 

[RSC]

Ok, I know that this has been gone over before.....but..you know  ))

So, I planned on having lime down in the cooler, and then bedding with sawdust, which we can get by the semi load pretty cheap.  But now I have started thinking about using ground up corn cobs, like Beck's Better Bedding.  It's about $4/ 30lb bag, and I bet I can get it cheaper if buy it in bulk. I will only have three calves in there, so I didn't know if the cheaper bedding would be better, even though it gets into the hair.

It's interesting that this thread comes up today as I just stopped to at a local sawmill to price some bedding.  I can get a pickup load of sawdust for  10-$20.  I am waiting for my foundation to cure before I move my showbarn in.  I am forced to use another shed temorarily and it has a cement floor.  Is it still worth spreading lime on a cement floor or will it do any good? 

Thanks,

RSC

 

[Malinda]

Funny the topic of corn cobs has come up. I was talking to the owner of the local feed store on Tues. and we were talking bedding and cobs. Actually, I was trying to find some cobs for bedding in my show barn.

Way back in the day when what I did was mostly feedlot, I used lime, put semi loads of whole cob down and then covered it with straw. The great thing about cobs is they are biodegradeable and will not change the ph of the soil when you haul your manure to the fields.

Anyone know where I can get cobs in southwestern Ohio?

Malinda

 

[red]

I'd be careful about tree mulch. I've found some are loaded w/ poisin ivy!  ???

Red

 

[farmboy]

Funny the topic of corn cobs has come up. I was talking to the owner of the local feed store on Tues. and we were talking bedding and cobs. Actually, I was trying to find some cobs for bedding in my show barn.

Way back in the day when what I did was mostly feedlot, I used lime, put semi loads of whole cob down and then covered it with straw. The great thing about cobs is they are biodegradeable and will not change the ph of the soil when you haul your manure to the fields.

Anyone know where I can get cobs in southwestern Ohio?

Malinda

the way i understand you are in pike county right? we have almost a whole crib full of old cobs, probably been sitting there since we stopped making our own feed i would guess 10 years ago, we would be more than happy to get rid of them, but we are over here in scioto  O0

 

[RSC]

Our local sawmill sold me this truckload of sawdust for $10.  I thought it was a darn good deal.

RSC

 

[SWMO]

Most of the mills in our area are now selling so much sawdust to the poultry industry and pellet stoves etc. that it is even difficult to get bagged chips and shaving. And those are getting pricey.

 

[mswcattle]

Our local sawmill sold me this truckload of sawdust for $10.  I thought it was a darn good deal.

RSC

I got a load of ceder from a mill one time.  the only problem i had was the dust was so fine it really got into the hair and caused a rash on the skin......it wasn't the easiest stuff to blow out either... it smelt great and really absorbed.  just beware.