Sawdust from treated timber for bedding.

[Johnnymal89]

I have been offered large quantities of sawdust from a timber factory, good clean dry sawdust, However I believe a fair bit of it comes from cutting 6x2 treated timber.Can't imagine it would be good for livestock ?,in my particular situation cows. Also would affect the quality of the muck ?

 

[Wisconsonian]

need to know what kind of treatment it is to make any guess. Not so long ago "green treated" contained aresenic here, so that would be a no. Newer "green treated" contains copper so not so bad.

Then there's the question of C to N ratio in the manure and if that will tie up nitrogen when you spred it.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I would leave it ,
It will be slow to break down
I one guy who's messed his land up with recycled . Gone back to straw

 

[Johnnymal89]

need to know what kind of treatment it is to make any guess. Not so long ago "green treated" contained aresenic here, so that would be a no. Newer "green treated" contains copper so not so bad.

Then there's the question of C to N ratio in the manure and if that will tie up nitrogen when you spred it.

I believe most of the the timber is low pressure treated with protim. That's about all I know

 

[ladycrofter]

I have used it in alternate layers with straw, works fine. By itself a disaster, compacts like concrete and won't break up properly even when thrashed by the dung spreader. Are you UK? Can't imagine there is anything harmful in the treated timber, as we all know it rots as soon as I'mtreated. They banned anything that actually works.

 

[Johnnymal89]

Yes we'll I think I'll be getting a small amount as a tester just to dip my toes. I've heard a few horror stories about unrotted sawdust effecting the output off feilds it had been applied to so I'll just have to be careful with the Muck. Yes We'll Ireland anyway, Scandinavian timber.

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

do you need a waste transfer notice as its waste from sawing timber not from timber solely used for bedding/shavings production?

 

[deleted user 837354]

As above, the main issue is the massive amount of carbon in it. Really wants mixing with semi solid muck and left to rot down halfway but sprinkled on lightly should do no harm provided soil fertility is good.