Bedding for a calving pen

A

aidank

Well-Known Member
Put a good 6" of turfdust on the floor of the calving pen during the week, its a bit wet I think and like a wet sponge alomost, I think its been a mistake, as its too soft almost, feet sinking 3-4" in it.

Had a man recommend bark mulch instead.

Anyone any direct experience with either ?

Im in North Kerry, anyone know where I could get some even
 
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aidank said:
Put a good 6" of turfdust on the floor of the calving pen during the week, its a bit wet I think and like a wet sponge alomost, I think its been a mistake, as its too soft almost, feet sinking 3-4" in it.

Had a man recommend bark mulch instead.

Anyone any direct experience with either ?

Im in North Kerry, anyone know where I could get some even
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Can you not get any straw?
 
I can't imagine bark mulch or saw dust would be much better then bog mole Aidan. Straw is the best bedding but it might be hard come by over your way?.
 
Know 3 farmers we do work for all who were using peat moss before calving but all went to straw once the calving started. Maybe straw ain’t available though
 
ithastopay said:
Can you not get any straw?
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diesel power said:
I can't imagine bark mulch or saw dust would be much better then bog mole Aidan. Straw is the best bedding but it might be hard come by over your way?.
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The pen has a mud floor, 100times easier for cow to get up from rather than concrete.

sawdust or somesuch would be icing on the cake, nice and soft and moisture soak through.

Cows are let in to calve and then out again to minimise water and slurry.
 
I used some limestone dust last year and it lasted well but i mixed it with sawdust fines,straw is best but when in short supply id sooner feed it.
 
6600 said:
Would you not want to keep calving pens cleaned out often to avoid diseases building up? Afterbirths would go rotten very quick. Sawdust sounds like a petry dish for bacteria.
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you might be right if it was left get dirty and wet, straw wouldn't be any better if dirty i guess

cows stay in the pen for as short a time as possible, and afterbirths etc, are never left lying around

the idea is lots of room to stretch out and lie down properly, and nice and easy to get up
 
I asked the same question on here as well and was talking to a vet about it , was told to stay miles away from it for all the above reasons. I ended up getting rushes off a neighbour and they are working the finest
 
If straw is in short supply. Perhaps sawdust or shavings would be best. Pine has antibacterial properties so bound to help.
 
Read somewhere about using rubber mats to cover the floor.

We put them down in the stables and then a mix of straw crumb and sawdust for some soakage
 
I put a couple of inches of woodchip in the pens I house the calves in , before bedding with straw . I find it gives a layer of soakage , and saves straw. The main reason though , is that it's a far drier lie for the calves. After a month odd , it's inclined to go a purple colour , and gets stink .

The op seems to mean calving pen bedding .
I bedded some of the cows on peat , in the 1 st half of the winter , but it was to spare the straw , so as to have plenty for calving , and calves. I haven't calved cows on the peat , but I don't think I would like to. I would sooner calve them on slats.
 
I've bedded with peat before, it holds a lot more water than other bedding and if you have water getting into it from the floor it'll become soup. If it's on a dry floor in a dry shed it'll last ages. Top inch gets dirty very quickly and it sticks to cattle more than sawdust when it's wet.
You have to keep any water away from it as no water will seep through it'll hold it all.
 
scoffcruddle said:
Neighbour lost a cow when she choked on the afterbirth,stopping them eating it is a good thing in my book.
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Feeding a cow or heifer her afterbirth was supposed to make her let down milk and feeding her colostrum was supposed to let her pass her afterbirth if she retained it.
It’s probably all for the better that it is thirty five years since I had anything to do with suckler cows .
 
i presumed cows eating afterbirths is a throwback to when they lived in the wild and they ate the afterbirth to keep the smell of flesh away from predators nostrils and therefore away from the newborns
 
I apparently spoke too soon. No-one is sure exactly why cattle eat their after birth. To prevent predators is one but I can't see that making much sense as the scent is still there surely too if the predators were to come they actually be satisfied by taking the after birth and eat it and leave the cow and calf alone instead of risking injury.
 
jcb411abuser said:
I apparently spoke too soon. No-one is sure exactly why cattle eat their after birth. To prevent predators is one but I can't see that making much sense as the scent is still there surely too if the predators were to come they actually be satisfied by taking the after birth and eat it and leave the cow and calf alone instead of risking injury.
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predators will be in packs usually and an afterbirth would only be a starter for them but a baby calf would be easy pickings, of course i could be talking bull as usual :cowboy:
 
Bit of a mix I suppose.
Full of nurtients. And it might be the nearest thing to a drink in the wilderness. Mind that doesn't explain why I find some ewes chowing down on it with a drinker beside them!!

Still rememberthe first time mrs AYF saw a ewe eat her afterbirth. Freaked her out just seing her take in the last bit! Haa
 
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