When it comes to raising farm animals, their comfort and well-being is top priority. One way to ensure that they are comfortable is by providing them with bedding. But what types of bedding are best for different farm animals? In this blog post, we will explore the different types of animal bedding available and which ones are best suited for various farm animals.
Traditional animal bedding options
For the majority of farmers who raise livestock and farm animals, there are a few obvious contenders when it comes to choosing a material for animal bedding. Those being straw and wood shavings. Both provide a great range of benefits for farm livestock and the management of a farm.
Straw for bedding
Straw bedding comes in a variety of types, including barley, wheat and oat straw. Widely available and good for creating a comfortable environment for animals, it is very common to see straw being used in pens and stables in smallholdings and farms.
Cons of using straw animal bedding
Although straw bedding is a traditional material choice, and provides the basics expected of animal bedding, it does come with its disadvantages.
The quality of straw bedding available on the market can vary greatly in quality. Much of the straw bedding that can be purchased is incredibly dusty, making it a risk to the health of livestock and animal handlers. Those with respiratory issues may find that straw causes their allergies to flare up or issues with their breathing. The same can be said for animals with respiratory problems or health concerns.
Although being lightweight makes straw easy to carry in bulk, this also can make it incredibly difficult to manage when the weather conditions are poor. A slightly windy day and straw can be found strewn over paddocks and pens.
If you’re seeking bedding for horses, straw is not particularly practical since horses will be inclined to eat the bedding, potentially leading to digestive complications.
The pros of wood shavings for bedding
A great alternative to straw bedding is another popular material choice, wood shavings. While straw can be problematic for animals and handlers with respiratory problems and allergies, wood shavings that are dust-extracted to limit exposure to dust.
Marked as dust-extracted, wood shavings provide a high quality, biodegradable option for animal bedding. Practical for farm animals, poultry, pigs, and equine. Being super absorbent, wood shavings are capable of providing a clean and hygienic environment for animals, minimising the spread of bacteria and the risk of harmful health conditions amongst livestock.
What’s more, the density of this product provides a comfortable bedding that will protect animals while they rest.
At Bodens we supply animal bedding made of the highest quality wood shavings for animals including pigs, horses, poultry, and cattle. All our animal bedding is manufactured in the UK and goes through a rigorous dust-extraction process to ensure every bag of bedding is 100% dust free.
Find our bedding across the nation in popular animal supply stockists.
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