Sawdust

Fine cut sawdust is common bedding for cubicles but sawdust seen on the tour was much finer than the coarse sawdust typically used in calf beds in New Zealand. It can be put on mechanically but the backs of the beds – where the cow’s back end is –need to be cleaned off daily. DairyCo estimates around 1kg/cow/day of kiln-dried sawdust would be required for bedding in a cubicle house with more needed if it’s fresh – around 2.2kg/cow/day. Its main purpose is to keep the beds dry, especially for lactating cows to prevent mastitis. Hydrated lime was often added to the end of the beds to absorb moisture and create an environment that’s not conducive to bacterial growth but care has to be taken not to burn the cow’s udder because lime is caustic.