Which sand is the right sand?

[stablegirl]

We have nearly completed our new shed and going to be bedding on sand, but which sand is the right sand, people keep telling me about clay content? To sharp? To fine? Builders sand? Plasterers sand? Dug sand? Silica sand?

Its going to be 6" deep bedded.

What am i looking for?

I ask because i friend moved onto the same system 3 months or so ago and he is usiing the same local dug sand that i was planning on using his looked great, but 3 months on and the beds look a litte damp?

Management or wrong sand?

What tips has anyone found ie raking? Adding fresh etc?

 

[Beef farmer]

You umbilicle?

 

[stablegirl]

You umbilicle?

Yes but not that much it's not crucial....

 

[Beef farmer]

Builders sand is granite. Wear a pump out in 6 hours

 

[stablegirl]

I should add we have the sea on 3 sides within 3 miles and the sand quarry is handy.

 

[vantage]

We get washed sand,basically the fines that are no good for building. Its a very soft sand and cows are very comfortable. Not sure why you are concerned about damp,as some of our beds on a corner of a shed catch the weather and can be wet a good part of the winter,but cows don't mind.
Rake any muck off twice a day as I get cows in to milk,may be pull a bit back to the udder end of the bed,bed up weekly with ag dispenser.

 

[SJM]

Get on very well with the 'ultrafine' grade of sand. Clean off 3x a day with a concrete placer, better at getting all the milk/muck off than a rake or shovel we've found

 

[Durry cows]

Fill sand here £11/ton silica is best but more expensive imo

 

[Horn&corn]

Silica Sand is our preferred option. Pricey but worth the extra and 29t pile is bigger than other sand so goes further. Much nicer in parlour. V yellow sand from Southampton won’t go through ag dispenser as too fine and blocks. This fine and light sand is no good for trying to settle out we’ve found. We take off muck twice a day then level with tractor side mounted rake as it breaks up beds and helps dry them out.

 

[TomD]

Builders sand is granite. Wear a pump out in 6 hours

That would soon pee of RAS slurry boys if everyone used that!!

 

[Fallowfield]

Sands, and their descriptions/names, vary on a regional basis depending on what's available locally. At least they do in the building trade.

 

[Darren 415]

Builders sand is granite. Wear a pump out in 6 hours

Any sand would wear the pump out great for bedding but very sore on machinery

 

[Beef farmer]

Any sand would wear the pump out great for bedding but very sore on machinery

Some quicker than others by a country mile

 

[dubs]

how much off the quarry price are people getting if used for bedding ?

 

[vantage]

how much off the quarry price are people getting if used for bedding ?

£2/t,sign a form from the quarry that proves you are using sand for bedding to satisfy HMRC.

 

[Horn&corn]

£17.20 per t artic delivered. £21 for silica sand when available. I can get it slightly cheaper but not the quality we like

 

[BarnDoor]

If sand is too coarse you can get a lot of stone damage in the feet