Straw saving with bedder, bed twice a day?????

[Bossfarmer]

im just curious as to how others find the most economical way to bed using a bedder, do most just give them their full amount of straw in the morning or do they split half morning half night so the courts are dry to lie down on?

 

[Gedd]

I dont think you save straw its just easier to bed up rather than by hand

 

[Bossfarmer]

I dont think you save straw its just easier to bed up rather than by hand

seemingly the year straw was a huge price there was a record amount of bedders sold, folk trying to reduce usage?

 

[Optimus]

I dont think you save straw its just easier to bed up rather than by hand

Defo easier.only way I can deal with some of the sh!te bales I get.

 

[Optimus]

seemingly the year straw was a huge price there was a record amount of bedders sold, folk trying to reduce usage?

I think it's a myth tbh.the ones I roll out seem to stay cleaner longer

 

[Hb21]

Bed up every other day, keep twice the number of cattle? Chase the money

 

[Hesstondriver]

Re phrase the question to : which is more economical once a day bedding or twice using half the amount of straw ? (weather by hand or machine)

obviously the labour is slightly more (not double)

but on realy misty damp day would once a day be better vs a drying day once a day ?

 

[Bossfarmer]

Re phrase the question to : which is more economical once a day bedding or twice using half the amount of straw ? (weather by hand or machine)

obviously the labour is slightly more (not double)

but on realy misty damp day would once a day be better vs a drying day once a day ?

labour should be half the amount in morning though so should come to the same? i was just thinking they dont all tend to lie down till night so mabye better to bed them last thing?

 

[Dave6170]

seemingly the year straw was a huge price there was a record amount of bedders sold, folk trying to reduce usage?

Could buy a heap of straw for the price of a bedder these days

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I dont think you save straw its just easier to bed up rather than by hand

Best way to save straw is muck out tother floor every 14 days , bedder saves nothing

 

[ollie989898]

One thing I will say about bedders is that it gives a more consistent product when cleaning out and spreading as it is halfway teased out when put out as bedding. You don't get that when doing it by hand despite the best will in the world.

Bedders do make the whole job a lot easier and less labour intensive. Probably the only way to do it (and safely) with a large number of cattle. Used to go through 3 hesstons a day bedding cattle where I worked.

 

[Speedstar]

we bed our cattle every day with a bedder & it save 30 to 50% of the straw you would use by setting bales in with the cattle & it is a lot safer

 

[milkloss]

So many variables. I can’t see bedding down twice a day to be worth the hassle . Milkers it might but wearing out a blower over a few beefers no.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Best way to save straw is muck out tother floor every 14 days , bedder saves nothing

Nonsense

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Nonsense

That's your opinion, I used to bed 400 bulls, over 800 cattle herd all loose housed , so I no it's not
Everyone as there opinion , I would never call yours nonsense

 

[Northeastfarmer]

That's your opinion, I used to bed 400 bulls, over 800 cattle herd all loose housed , so I no it's not
Everyone as there opinion , I would never call yours nonsense

So you’re saying mucking them down to concrete every 14 daye saves bedding over letting it get a proper bed in?

 

[Pushdyke]

I quite like a dry bed at night reckon cattle might be the same

 

[hally]

seemingly the year straw was a huge price there was a record amount of bedders sold, folk trying to reduce usage?

It takes a certain amount of straw to soak up a certain amount of sh*t. I agree we don't save any straw just easier. We bed every odd day and muck the front out next to the barrier every month. Never muck the back of the shed till turnout

 

[Derrick Hughes]

So you’re saying mucking them down to concrete every 14 daye saves bedding over letting it get a proper bed in?

Your building a proper bed with cow muck that is 10 % dry matter !! , it also heats up and its a breading ground for bugs
But I won't argue, it worked for me

 

[milkloss]

That's your opinion, I used to bed 400 bulls, over 800 cattle herd all loose housed , so I no it's not
Everyone as there opinion , I would never call yours nonsense

I expect the bulls guts were running pretty thin. Once a yard gets wet then I agree a muck out will save straw but a dryish and stiff bottom means their feet won't poach it up.