Bedding Question

jcb411abuser

Well-Known Member
Been pondering this for a while.
If you took a July first cut grass silage, in a decent spell of weather when it came, and got it to 40-60% dm. What would that be like as a cubicle bedding material?
Recycled manure solids are all the rage and they are 25-35%DM typically, so why wouldn't a similar silage do the trick with the added benefit of acid suppressing bacterial growth atleast for a day or so.
 
On pondering this for a while.ppo
If you took a July first cut grass silage, in a decent spell of weather when it came, and got it to 40-60% dm. What would that be like as a cubicle bedding material?
Recycled manure solids are all the rage and they are 25-35%DM typically, so why wouldn't a similar silage do the trick with the added benefit of acid suppressing bacterial growth atleast for a day or so.
Opportunity cost would immediately make it untenable
 
Been pondering this for a while.
If you took a July first cut grass silage, in a decent spell of weather when it came, and got it to 40-60% dm. What would that be like as a cubicle bedding material?
Recycled manure solids are all the rage and they are 25-35%DM typically, so why wouldn't a similar silage do the trick with the added benefit of acid suppressing bacterial growth atleast for a day or so.
Straw, sawdust, hay etc are 80%+ DM. Would a bedding that's 40 to 60%dm be damp?

Would it be better to suppress bacterial growth and encourage decomposition of a dryer material by adding either hydrated lime or adding a microorganism?
 
For the ground to grow the silage yes
The type of ground needed is the cheapest though often we get offered such grass for free in small amounts to clear the land. Now going out to get it could be different.
250/acre 400 for half ton of fert, you'll probably get 4 to 5 ton of dm. So, 175 to 130 a ton to buy it that way.
It's not amazingly better your right.
 
Straw, sawdust, hay etc are 80%+ DM. Would a bedding that's 40 to 60%dm be damp?

Would it be better to suppress bacterial growth and encourage decomposition of a dryer material by adding either hydrated lime or adding a microorganism?
Damp yes. Though damp doesn't seem to be the problem if you look at recycled manure solids.
I really don't know I'm just wondering what would happen. Has it been attempted even?
 
Recycled manure bedding only works in a dry environment,similar to the compost barns you see in drier parts of the world.

I’d say it’s the wrong bacteria,hay minced within an inch of it’s life would be better.

I’ve thought about growing miscanthus for bedding in the past,this year sawdust is in plentiful supply,usually they duck you about come Christmas so I stockpiled 30t and already this month they’ve rung twice asking to send artic loads.
 
Just thinking aloud here
If you had a screw press and put your cubicles slurry through it would the fiber be dry enough to use under the loose housing
 
Just thinking aloud here
If you had a screw press and put your cubicles slurry through it would the fiber be dry enough to use under the loose housing
Definitely not recommended when I looked into recycled solids. Might even be illegal if its for milk production.
 
Recycled manure bedding only works in a dry environment,similar to the compost barns you see in drier parts of the world.

I’d say it’s the wrong bacteria,hay minced within an inch of it’s life would be better.

I’ve thought about growing miscanthus for bedding in the past,this year sawdust is in plentiful supply,usually they duck you about come Christmas so I stockpiled 30t and already this month they’ve rung twice asking to send artic loads.
See the problem is getting material dry here. In donegal its either what little straw is available locally or you're bringing it up from carlow which is the biggest cost.
Though to be fair, though I've not done it, 2kgs straw per cubicle per day isn't an expensive way to bed cattle. 25-30c/day may 1 litre of milk?
 
See the problem is getting material dry here. In donegal its either what little straw is available locally or you're bringing it up from carlow which is the biggest cost.
Though to be fair, though I've not done it, 2kgs straw per cubicle per day isn't an expensive way to bed cattle. 25-30c/day may 1 litre of milk?
sorry should of said in my place it would be under beef cattle
effectively getting 2 uses out of the straw, ,I could use more on the cubicles then put it under a loose house with beasts that wont lye on cubicles then stockpile it after

and 2kgs straw a day on cubicles is a lot, think I'm at 300-375 grams/cubicle a day. I use a 4ft round 180kg every 4 to 5 days on 120 cubicles, beef cattle again
 
Just thinking aloud here
If you had a screw press and put your cubicles slurry through it would the fiber be dry enough to use under the loose housing
No it would just turn to porridge.
See the problem is getting material dry here. In donegal its either what little straw is available locally or you're bringing it up from carlow which is the biggest cost.
Though to be fair, though I've not done it, 2kgs straw per cubicle per day isn't an expensive way to bed cattle. 25-30c/day may 1 litre of milk?
Similar to here our straw comes from the East,a good 120 miles away,I’m bedding my calving pen on sawdust because it’s cheaper than straw,it looks shitty but its comfy,it’s almost like a compost barn but I have to add sawdust every few days.

If my straw grinder could grind it shorter I’d use ground straw on the cubicles,ok this year as straw was cheaper this harvest it’ll be dearer again.
 
No it would just turn to porridge.

Similar to here our straw comes from the East,a good 120 miles away,I’m bedding my calving pen on sawdust because it’s cheaper than straw,it looks shitty but its comfy,it’s almost like a compost barn but I have to add sawdust every few days.

If my straw grinder could grind it shorter I’d use ground straw on the cubicles,ok this year as straw was cheaper this harvest it’ll be dearer again.
Think i need a 404m to bed my cubicles
 
sorry should of said in my place it would be under beef cattle
effectively getting 2 uses out of the straw, ,I could use more on the cubicles then put it under a loose house with beasts that wont lye on cubicles then stockpile it after

and 2kgs straw a day on cubicles is a lot, think I'm at 300-375 grams/cubicle a day. I use a 4ft round 180kg every 4 to 5 days on 120 cubicles, beef cattle again
Is that on top of a mattress or deep bed? I'd be thinking on a deep bed system. Need to get the comfort levels up.
My father and brother are looking at foam mattresses but I'd like to try straw first as we have a straw blower now too, and one side of cubicles need taken out anyway, we could buy dividers, take out the bed we have now and just fill it with straw to see how it goes.
 
No it would just turn to porridge.

Similar to here our straw comes from the East,a good 120 miles away,I’m bedding my calving pen on sawdust because it’s cheaper than straw,it looks shitty but its comfy,it’s almost like a compost barn but I have to add sawdust every few days.

If my straw grinder could grind it shorter I’d use ground straw on the cubicles,ok this year as straw was cheaper this harvest it’ll be dearer again.
Sawdust is great to be fair if its available. Scarce enough here too unfortunately
 
Is that on top of a mattress or deep bed? I'd be thinking on a deep bed system. Need to get the comfort levels up.
My father and brother are looking at foam mattresses but I'd like to try straw first as we have a straw blower now too, and one side of cubicles need taken out anyway, we could buy dividers, take out the bed we have now and just fill it with straw to see how it goes.
Im on cubicles with rubber mats in 1 shed of 80 and another shed of 40 is cubicles and earth beds
The earth beds are, to be blunt, fucking useless
Think I've found 20 super comfort cubicles and pipes so this summer will rip out 1 side ,concrete the beds and fit the super comforts
Half toying with the idea to use a roll of old astroturf upside down on the concrete as a form of mat🤷‍♂️
 
Im on cubicles with rubber mats in 1 shed of 80 and another shed of 40 is cubicles and earth beds
The earth beds are, to be blunt, fucking useless
Think I've found 20 super comfort cubicles and pipes so this summer will rip out 1 side ,concrete the beds and fit the super comforts
Half toying with the idea to use a roll of old astroturf upside down on the concrete as a form of mat🤷‍♂️
Earth beds? Is that a deep bed or just a raised bed made of earth/clay?
I'd say durability of the astro turf might be the only issue, alot of things a designed for one purpose. Worth a try though.
 
No it would just turn to porridge.

Similar to here our straw comes from the East,a good 120 miles away,I’m bedding my calving pen on sawdust because it’s cheaper than straw,it looks shitty but its comfy,it’s almost like a compost barn but I have to add sawdust every few days.

If my straw grinder could grind it shorter I’d use ground straw on the cubicles,ok this year as straw was cheaper this harvest it’ll be dearer again.
Thought sawdust wouldn t be ideal to be spreading on grass ground. ? Brother uses hydrated lime on cubicles but dont know how it affects slurry
 
See the problem is getting material dry here. In donegal its either what little straw is available locally or you're bringing it up from carlow which is the biggest cost.
Though to be fair, though I've not done it, 2kgs straw per cubicle per day isn't an expensive way to bed cattle. 25-30c/day may 1 litre of milk?
Re the straw brought up from Carlow being costly, a buyer told me the other day that it was the cheapest fertiliser being sent west this year being a dual purpose product-bedding and manure.
Must say I liked his angle on it!
 
Back
Top