I would recommend anyone to try this bedding, I know they won't be disappointed
  -Andrew Gould, Priory Dressage
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Traditional Bedding Issues

The Disadvantages of Straw Bedding and Rising Cost of Wood Shavings


Straw Bedding

Due to the appalling weather during the past 2 years the quality and availability of straw bedding has been in huge decline. Also due to alternative uses for straw we have seen an increase in price and a decrease in availability.

The recent change in climate has also prompted suppliers to keep more straw bedding for their own animals as uncertainties with the weather cannot guarantee a successful crop next year.

Straw bedding has poor absorption qualities and can be very dusty. Low quality straw can be mouldy, it is this mould that contains the spores that will aggravate allergies or respiratory problems such as COPD.

Straw is also palatable to horses, and if eaten can cause compaction which gives them colic. Storage can also be a problem - bales need a lot of space in a dry area and can attract vermin.

It can take a long time for straw to fully biodegrade and break down, up to 2 years in some cases! This is not great for the environment and it results in huge muck heaps being created which can attract vermin and spread disease from the water running off it.



Wood Shavings

Those of you already using wood shavings will have seen a steady increase in price over the last 12 months but quite recently the price has increased dramatically.

The main reason for this is due to the sharp decline in the building and construction industry; the demand for wood has dropped, resulting in less wood being planed, which is how the majority of shavings are produced.

By keeping in close contact with our distributors we have been monitoring the price of wood shavings and have found that even the lowest quality shavings are now exceeding £6 per bale (Figures based when bought in low quantity, average bale weighing 20Kg) and for the highest quality shavings £11 per bale!

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