Miscanthus/elephant grass bedding - anyone used it?

Jinete12

Jinete12

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Hi

I'm planning to change my stable from straw to shavings before the winter and have been looking at elephant grass bedding, but having never heard of it before, I'd appreciate any comments anyone might have.

I'm planning to deep litter whatever bedding I use. Is elephant grass more absorbant than shavings? What are your experiences?
 
Have been using it for about a year now and would recommend it. We have mats with a full bed. We skip out the dropping daily and any wet that comes to the surface and dig al the wet out every two weeks and usually only have to put one bag in. One of my horses is very wet and I was using two bags a week with him when he was on six month's box rest.
 
I used it on my old yard and I really liked it. I definitely prefered it to shavings and found it to be more absorbent. I got through 2 bags each week of it.

Would def recommend it too.
 
I didn't like it as I thought the stalks were very coarse and hard, my horse got a length of it wedged in his hoof. I prefer Equisorb which is softer and in my experience much more absorbent.
 
I like it although it works best as a deep litter bed - it makes a nice bed which doesn't move about too much. I don't think it absorbs as quickly as shavings but is as absorbent in the long run which is why it is better deep littered- the big advantage is that the top layer seems to stay dry unlike shavings, which I find often feel slightly damp on top as if the damp works its way up through. Some people worry about the fact it is hard but my thin soled pony is fine on it and it doesn't stick to tails and rugs as much as shavings either. The one huge advantage around here is that the local merchants never run out of it!! Of course, like all bedding you need to use enough of it to get the bed going but then should use less once the base has established itself.
 
I have some friends who use it and it works very well deep littered with a product from Bioanimal Health which is a natural enzyme that basically rots it down quicker and stops any ammonia smell. If I could get hold of any in Berkshire then I would definately use it, but last time I searched you could only get it in the West Country!
 
I'm very interested in using it, have being doing lots of research, good results so far. It's not easy to get hold of though unless you're down Devon way. I'm in South Lincs and although I've found a couple of suppliers you're paying a fair whack on delivery or you have to have a couple of pallet loads.
 
I've just started using it on top of rubber mats and really like it :D my mare isn't the cleanest in her stable either :rolleyes: and it copes really well. Just skip out the poo and any wet which comes to the surface during the week (which is hardly any at all) and then good clean out at the weekend.

I pay £59.60 for 10 bales (the more you buy the cheaper it gets)
 
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