Hygienic Properties of Organic Versus Inorganic Bedding

Abstract

Bedding in dairy cattle stalls has been used traditionally to provide a comfortable surface for recumbent animals, and less concern has been directed toward footing. Cattle with locomotor deficits have difficulty standing on surfaces which tend to allow slippage. With traditional bedding materials such as wood shavings or straw, the feet easily penetrate through the bedding to the underlying concrete where traction is poor especially when wet due to urination. Cows with a history of parturient paresis are predisposed to the downer cow syndrome (1). Sand has been proposed as a bedding material to assure proper footing for prevention and treatment of the downer cow syndrome (1). Since soil surfaces are not permitted in grade A dairy barns, the hygienic status of sand is open to question. The following study is an attempt to investigate hygienic and management properties of sand as a bedding for calving stalls, but the lessons learned herein could be applied to mounting areas for cows or bulls, stallions, and boars.