Cheapest bedding

[Siobhanelizabeth]

another bedding question…

I’ve just spent £60 on a 8ft bale of straw! Fully appreciate the weather wasn’t great for it last year, but…

Is straw really still the cheapest overall?

 

[blitznbobs]

Yes buy a country mile - if you can dispose of it…

If you can buy it off the field in the summer straw is cheaper still

 

[gallopingby]

Yes, probably! Shavings can be £11 + a bale and you need several to start a bed and then some more so a big straw bale will probably last and last in comparison.

 

[meleeka]

It’s £4 a small bale here.

 

[Siobhanelizabeth]

It’s £4 a small bale here.

Same here, the guy that delivered the big one said there’s 30 small to a big one which I’m dubious of

 

[Siobhanelizabeth]

Yes buy a country mile - if you can dispose of it…

If you can buy it off the field in the summer straw is cheaper still

Definitely looking at forward planning this summer

 

[Melody Grey]

Straw, hands down every time….and hence, always my preference!!

 

[Siobhanelizabeth]

Yes, probably! Shavings can be £11 + a bale and you need several to start a bed and then some more so a big straw bale will probably last and last in comparison.

I tried ethos while on a different yard and can’t remember what it was like I’ve tried so many, but it’s £8.

Straw and wood pellets are fine underneath but dusty if used one their own and one won’t lie down.

Doing pellets under straw from today, but thinking if I’m putting a bag of pellets in and equivalent of a small bale of straw, why mix?

 

[gallopingby]

Pellets will help because they soak up the wet and so keep beds going longer, you’ll have to deep litter or do a big muck out once a week or so. If you’re going to muck out fully/each day it’s probably not worth adding pellets underneath.

 

[Siobhanelizabeth]

Pellets will help because they soak up the wet and so keep beds going longer, you’ll have to deep litter or do a big muck out once a week or so. If you’re going to muck out fully/each day it’s probably not worth adding pellets underneath.

That’s what I’m going to do with this bale (have done before), semi deep litter as I work a 8-5 and remove the wet at the weekend, but would still be refilling a bag a week of pellets plus any straw used throughout the week, which makes me think is it worth it?

 

[Melody Grey]

Try without the pellets, I deep litter on
Straw without (taking each bed out about every 3 weeks), surprisingly absorbent if you keep the bottom layer even and firm with a good top up a couple of times a week. I have 3 small horses and use a round bale of straw (£20) about every 6- 8 weeks

 

[Siobhanelizabeth]

Try without the pellets, I deep litter on
Straw without (taking each bed out about every 3 weeks), surprisingly absorbent if you keep the bottom layer even and firm with a good top up a couple of times a week. I have 3 small horses and use a round bale of straw (£20) about every 6- 8 weeks

I got quoted the round bale was £50! That’s more than my hay!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Straw is massively cheaper. It's £2.50 a bale here delivered!! I was on wood chip and was spending nearly £200 a month for 2 horses, my bedding bill is now around £20 a month!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I got quoted the round bale was £50! That’s more than my hay!

Could you work out how many small bales are in one big round one?

 

[rextherobber]

If you weigh everything up, (time spent mucking out, time taken to rot down on the muck heap) I reckon hemp bedding is the most time and cost effective.

 

[Melody Grey]

I got quoted the round bale was £50! That’s more than my hay!

Shop around if you can- £20 is cheap but £50 for a round sounds excessive to me- are you sure it wasn’t a big four string square bale for £50? Or bigger still?!

 

[Identityincrisis]

I deep litter on straw only, I take the wet out once a week. I have a very deep bed though and no wet comes through. I hate thin straw beds!

I pay £24 for a round bale

 

[BallyRoanBaubles]

Yep straw deffo!

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Pellets will help because they soak up the wet and so keep beds going longer, you’ll have to deep litter or do a big muck out once a week or so. If you’re going to muck out fully/each day it’s probably not worth adding pellets underneath.

This is what i do, one bag of pellets a week and one straw and skip out mon-fri full muck out at the weekend. Straw is £4 a bale and pellets are £8.60

 

[Slightlyconfused]

If you weigh everything up, (time spent mucking out, time taken to rot down on the muck heap) I reckon hemp bedding is the most time and cost effective.

Sister is going to try her one on this, currently on straw and pellets and he is very wet still.

 

[Hallo2012]

so much cheaper!

in 2023 i used 30 bales of chopped rape straw and one 4 string heston (mine are on a mix of short/long straw)

total cost for 2 ponies for the year was £230.

the later you can skip out and the earlier you muck out will make a HUGE difference too, if we skip at 11pm and are on the yard for 6am, its 3 poos max and no time to trample them in!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I buy chainsaw sawdust from a guy at £15 for a builders bag. I have 2 horses & I use roughly 2 builders bags per month. So £30 per month I think is real value. Who he is & where is his place is remains a secret.

 

[eggs]

I pay £30 for large rectangular 4 string bale and £25 for a large round bale delivered from two different suppliers. Both lots are nice straw.

I put a very thin layer of chopped rape straw (currently using Unibed as it is the cheapest I have found) in the wee spot and then put a very thick straw bed on top. During the week I skip out and at the weekend I do a full muck out.

 

[rextherobber]

O

Sister is going to try her one on this, currently on straw and pellets and he is very wet still.

One of mine is like Niagara Falls and also haz respiratory issues, Aubiose has been absolutely brilliant. ( used to use Easipack but it started making g me cough when I opened new bale)

 

[Slightlyconfused]

O

One of mine is like Niagara Falls and also haz respiratory issues, Aubiose has been absolutely brilliant. ( used to use Easipack but it started making g me cough when I opened new bale)

Will let her know. How many bales do you use a month?

 

[sport horse]

Straw is usually more expensive at this time of year due to supply and demand. End of winter and farmers barns becoming depleted and this winters wet weather means all cattle came in early and are still in their barns so need straw. Not much chance of getting stock out for some weeks in most parts of the country so farmers wil not be selling much at present.

 

[spotty_pony2]

I use shavings and straw pellets mixed. It keeps the shavings drier and whilst not being the cheapest option; it is quick to muck out as I only remove the wet once or twice per week and also takes up less room on the muck heap. I was using straw on top of pellets but had two shows symptoms of mites so after treating them I switched to shavings and they seem a lot happier now.

 

[Jambarissa]

The farmers round here struggled to get their crops done this year never mind the straw. The farm next door where most got their straw from baled enough for his own liveries then gave up. So prices much higher than usual.

I can't use straw or shavings so have tried allsorts. Hemp used correctly (deep litter, leave the wet til it's red) is very cost effective but 2 of my horses mix their beds so it doesn't work for them. Wood pellets bought by the pallet work out about £6 a bag and use 2-3 per week so they're very good and easy to use. My fave is a free draining woodchip with sawdust underneath to do the soaking up. Even with the mixers the dust mainly stays on the bottom.

 

[rextherobber]

Will let her know. How many bales do you use a month?

1? You deep litter it, and it forms a firm base, dig out when it goes red. It doesn't smell, the one with breathing issues is totally fine on it, and it looks immaculate. Niagara horse is also a bit arthritic and tends to drag the bed around, but not with Aubiose. I was a total " full muck out every day" person til I discovered this, and now I'm a total convert.

 

[meleeka]

1? You deep litter it, and it forms a firm base, dig out when it goes red. It doesn't smell, the one with breathing issues is totally fine on it, and it looks immaculate. Niagara horse is also a bit arthritic and tends to drag the bed around, but not with Aubiose. I was a total " full muck out every day" person til I discovered this, and now I'm a total convert.

Same. I had one on box rest and used 1 1/2 bales a week. It still works out more expensive than straw I think, but I won’t use straw as my mare stinks. I recently took the wet out and it was only two wheelbarrows full, since January!