RWN Cattle Cubicle Bedding

RWN Cubicle Bedding for Dairy Cows

High Quality Cubicle Bedding and Hygiene is important

Hygiene is Important for Cow Health, Performance and ProfitabilityMastitis results in discarded milk, medication, vet charges and premature culling. Even somatic cell counts of 250,000 will typically reduce annual herd yield by around 150 litres of milk. Mastitis and high somatic cell counts cost the average producer over £50 per cow per year more than the top 25% of producers.

Cow comfort is very important, every additional hour lying will increase milk yield by up to 1 litre. Generally the longer that cows are lying rather than standing the lower the incidence of lameness.

It is essential that bedding is dry and clean and with low levels of bacterial contamination. This means that bedding should always be stored in dry conditions. If bedding is warming in store then moisture levels are too high and bacteria are multiplying. Bacteria only multiply in warm, damp conditions. Consequently ventilation can play a major role in preventing multiplication of bacteria on beds by removing moisture and heat from buildings, reducing humidity and allowing beds to dry.

It is important that bedding materials should be clean, dry, soft and absorbent. Hock abrasions and damage to skin which allow pathogenic bacteria to enter the cows body are a major source of infection and lameness.

Cubicle Bedding should be clean, dry, absorbent and non-abrasive

Dry Beds, Absorbent Bedding Materials and Cow Comfort

Most dairy farmers will use an absorbent bedding material to soak up excess moisture and to keep the beds dry. Deep sand or straw beds are often used or thin layers of chopped straw or sawdust are spread on top of a variety of surfaces including concrete, rubber mats and mattresses. Waste paper bedding materials may be used but do have a tendency to set like concrete when they become wet resulting in very hard uneven beds and can be abrasive resulting in hock damage and infections. Sawdust and straw are probably the most widely used bedding materials but both suffer from their own disadvantages.

Slats and slurry system rule out the use of straw in many cubicle houses. Sawdust is expensive and when damp encourages the growth of bacteriaStraw cannot be used in many situations, due to blocking slats and the formation of thick crusts on slurry stores. Sawdust is very variable from fine dust which sticks to hooves like concrete, to coarse abrasive material which can result in hock infections and lameness. Both sawdust and chopped straw float and form crusts on slurry and both can be very dusty products to apply and as a farmer pointed out to me "Dust is good for neither man nor beast".

Whilst both straw and sawdust are effective in soaking up moisture, both are slow to dry. Damp sawdust is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Consequently if bacteria are to be controlled sawdust needs to be dry and enough sawdust needs to be used to soak up moisture and to keep cows clean. In addition application of an effective long lasting disinfectant powder will help to control bacterial growth on the sawdust.

Sand can be very effective in deep beds, since it is inert and doesn't contain organic matter. Sand is not particularly absorbent, but if clean sand does becomes damp it will not grow bacteria since it doesn't contain organic matter. Most sand used for deep beds is too coarse and abrasive for use on concrete cubicle beds, rubber mats or mattresses. Bedding sand will also settle out of slurry and is unsuitable for use in many UK slurry systems.

Hygiene is Important for Cow Health, Performance and Profitability

RWN CATTLE BEDDING PRODUCTS

Cow comfort, cow health and good hygiene are essential for efficient and profitable milk production in high yielding dairy herds. Richard Webster Nutrition works with a number of different very effective cow cubicle bedding products.

Bulk Bedding Products

Bedding materials delivered in bulk can lead to cost savings where suitable indoor storage and tractor mounted bedding dispensers are available. Generally delivery is on full walking floor vehicles with prices varying according to location.

All bulk bedding products can quickly and efficiently be applied to cow cubicles using a tractor mounted bedding dispenser - Sand, Sawdust, Paper, CrushedHusks or Powder BeddingSawdust Bedding

We have a wide range of different grades of sawdust suitable for animal bedding and available both in bulk or in bags. The cost of sawdust will vary dependent on load size and transport costs to a particular location as well as on the quality and grade of sawdust bedding. Sawdust Bedding

 

Bulk Cubicle Bedding Materials can have advantages in terms of costs and handling

High quality, fine, kiln dried sawdust is a superb absorbent bedding material for improved hygene and control of bacteria in dairy cow housingBagged Bedding Products

Sawdust in Bags or Bales

A range of Premium Grade Soft, Kiln Dried, Super absorbent Sawdusts. Including Bagged or Baled fine, Powdered sawdust and clean Sawdust with minimal dust. Available in full or half loads.

RWN Bagged or Baled Sawdust Bedding Products are top quality and offer amongst the best cubicle bedding options.

RWN Anti-bacterial Cubicle Bedding Powders

RWN supplies a range of anti-bacterial bedding powders and hydrated lime which may be used alone but are generally used with an absorbent bedding material such as straw or sawdust to control bacteria in cow cubicle housing, straw yards, calf rearing accommodation and dry cow housing.

Whilst these products have different modes of action all are non-caustic, improve hygiene and give effective control of pathogenic bacteria in bedding. Anti-bacterial and Disinfectant Cubicle Powders

RWN Supplies a Wide Range of Bedding Products in Bulk and in Bags

BETTER HYGIENE, HEALTHIER COWS, MORE MILK, LESS CULLING, MORE PROFIT

Cheaper and more effective solutions to hygiene in cubicle housing

For advice on improving cow comfort and hygiene in livestock housing contact Richard Webster

Independent Suppliers of Quality Feeds and Associated Products
for the High Yielding Dairy Cow

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