Your animal’s bedding, whether this is small animal, farm animal or larger animal, provides a safe haven and plays an important role in their health and wellbeing. Animal bedding that is not properly cared for or does not provide adequate comfort and warmth to meet their needs could potentially be harmful to the animal. Causing a number of bedding-related animal diseases.
Examples Of Bedding-Related Animal Diseases:
Most types of bedding-related diseases are caused by the contamination of bedding with animal faeces or urine. Which is far more likely to occur amongst farm animals and those sleeping in stables. Unlike domestic animals, larger farm animals may not have their bedding changed or cleaned as regularly, putting animals such as horses, pigs, and cows at risk of diseases such as:
- Salmonella
- Johne’s
- Coccidiosis
- Avian influenza
- Leptospirosis
- Brucellosis
While some of these diseases can be treated, others can be deadly and incredibly harmful to your animals. Therefore, taking care of your animal bedding, supplying the right type of bedding and keeping this clean should be an important part of animal welfare.
How To Minimise The Risk Of Disease And Spread Of Disease To Other Animals
While caring for multiple animals at once, particularly when rearing farm animals from birth, there is always the risk of disease, there are ways you can minimise bedding-related contaminations.
The following tips are ideal to follow to maintain the upkeep of your animal’s bedding and to ensure their health and safety:
- Choose the right type of bedding for the animal you are caring for
- Only buy bedding that has been supplied by a quality source*
- Keep bedding clean and regularly change bedding for animals, even in stables
- Choose a highly absorbent bedding material
- For animals that are sick or unwell, keep them separate from other animals and be sure to dispose of their bedding
- Avoid storing new bedding in damp containers, keep them weather-proof and sealed
At Bodens Group we supply animal bedding to a range of UK retailers. Offering high quality animal bedding produced using premium wood shavings. Our leading products are safe for a range of different types of animals including farm animals and small animals.
In addition to caring for your animals, be sure to take caution when handling contaminated bedding. Humans can also become sick or catch diseases, particularly when working on farms. The right PPE and health and safety procedures should always be followed and adhered to.