Hay for bedding

[Tilly]

I'm feeding my two dexters a good grass hay for about 3.50 a bale. Straw prices here are about 6.00 a bale. Anything wrong with using hay for bedding?

[topside1]

Hay is all I've ever used. They may eat a little when you first spread it out....No big deal once it's been walk on they will be back to eating the bale in the hay rack....No worries.

[topside1]

Just think about a round bale in the pasture, rained on, laid on, pooded on, and it still tastes great. They know what's edible and what's not. No worries.

[Tilly]

Thanks,I know it was kind of a 'duh' thing to ask, but just wanted to be sure!!

[Teacupliz]

my cows eat the straw faster then the hay at times.
Liz

[Up North]

Who can afford straw these days?

[JeffNY]

I've used both, and hay I find is better than straw as it seems to soak up moisture better, and it also seems to rot faster. So yeah id use hay over straw, even if it was the same price.


Jeff

[Ole Man Legrand]

Questions????????????? How about Oak Leaves?

[Teacupliz]

I actually hate using hay for my cows bedding. i think it does not absorb well at all. But I have a tye stal barn. I was lucky to even find straw at $3. a bale but at least it is nice straw. I tried wood chips they cost to much. Any one else have other ideas- as the cows do eat it, and it is so costly??

Liz in NY

[travlnusa]

If it makes sense for your area, and you have a way to move it around, look into sand as bedding.

[Tom McLaughlin]

A neighbor uses leaves for bedding and doesn't sem to have any problems but a google search has sites that say some can be harmful. After a few tries including sand I think stall mats with a light coating of hay are easiest to keep clean and the cows don't seem to mind.. Haven't completed a winter with them yet so we'll see...

(Heyya Liz... bob, quilt and DUCK)

[HazyDay]

Originally Posted by Teacupliz

I actually hate using hay for my cows bedding. i think it does not absorb well at all. But I have a tye stal barn. I was lucky to even find straw at $3. a bale but at least it is nice straw. I tried wood chips they cost to much. Any one else have other ideas- as the cows do eat it, and it is so costly??

Liz in NY

Lucky I have an uncle who has a dairy farm so I help him out and he gives up sawdust! (and hay.) He gets a HUGE wagon full from our local mill for $80.oo and that will fill my barn to the top! When we clean we take everything out and put a few bags of sawdust down. Then the goats pull hay out onto the gorund and we spread it out. I really wish I could get my hands on some cheap straw, but it seems no one has any for sale. I may try an ad on kijiji.ca

[SRobles]

I used stray and hay and hated it. I then just filled in with dirt and sand and I am thankful I did