Did you know that cows typically spend up to 14 hours a day lying down? But their lying down time all depends on their housing environment and farmer’s cow management practices.
Cow welfare is of course priority when it comes to selecting the right bedding for your dairy cows, but there’s several other factors to take into consideration.
From considering your cubicle type to your muck-disposal system, there is cattle bedding that will work best for your farm system.
Continue below for happy cows and efficient farming…
Cubicle Type
Different cubicle flooring will require a different bedding for cubicle conditioner type.
If your farm has mat or mattresses in place on cow cubicles, you have your herd’s comfort in check. However, you will need something to maintain a dry environment, and to absorb any muck or milk – making your cattle quicker to prepare for parlour.
With mats or mattresses, we recommend using a sawdust cubicle conditioners, such as our Powderbed and Finebed products. Both products are designed to be used sparingly and will control moisture to keep cattle clean and hygienic. Both work hand-in-hand with mats or mattresses.
If your herd are based on concreate or earth beds, they will require a deeper and more cushioned bedding material. This is where our Mixbed product comes in. This is a solution that can be used a sole bedding or a supplementary option.
It’s our most versatile product in our range, and can be used on concrete cubicles, earth pens, calf and bullpens, and livestock trailers.
Disposal
Another thing to consider when choosing the appropriate bedding type for your farm is its compatibility with your muck-disposal system.
For instance, if the goal is to keep waste as solids, a coarser bedding product designed for deep bedding, like Mixbed, would be suitable.
This helps maintain the desired consistency for spreading solid manure evenly on fields without clogging equipment or causing blockages.
On the other hand, if your disposal system involves maintaining a slurry consistency for pumping or further spreading, a finer bedding product that suspends well is necessary.
In this case, we would recommend our sawdust products, Powderbed and Finebed. These products prevent blockages in slurry channels and will not settle in the lagoons.
Comfort
Animal welfare is another consideration when choosing the best bedding for your system.
Comfortable bedding prevents health issues such as sores, abrasions, and infections. Quality bedding will also reduce the risk of conditions such as mastitis and lameness.
What is more, our sawdust cubicle conditioners absorb moisture, minimising the growth of bacteria. We recommend sawdust bedding options, rather than alternative bedding due to sawdust’s talc-like consistency, ensuring comfort and dryness.
If you’re unsure on the consistency of any product, we recommend doing the “elbow test”. If the cubicle conditioner feels abrasive, it’s not the one.
Comfortable cattle are healthier, more content, and ultimately more productive. Meaning, they are more likely to produce higher-quality milk.
Supply
When choosing the right bedding for your settle, choosing a reliable supplier is crucially important. A trustworthy supplier to ensure consistent quality and uninterrupted operations on your farm.
A supplier should be able to deliver consistency and all-year-round availability so that you never run short of supply.
For over 50 years, Platts have been providing reliable products to thousands of farmers – with 94% of our customers saying that they would recommend Platts to a friend.
Farmers should also consider logistical factors such as transportation when evaluating bedding suppliers.
At Platts, we have our own fleet of commercial vehicles and highly-experienced drivers to ensure that your supply of animal bedding is delivered in a timely manner and without interruption. It’s no wonder that 98% of our customers rated our HGV drivers as good, very good or excellent.
Get in touch with our team today who will be able to assist your further in selecting the right bedding for your dairy farm.
