The panel discussion covered different bedding options used on dairy farms. Joseph Doré from Heritage Hill Farms discussed using composted manure as bedding, which provides deep, comfortable stalls for cows. It is an endless supply that is easily stored and spread but requires more labor than other options. Steve Hammell from Lorncliffe Holsteins uses peat moss bedding, which keeps somatic cell counts low but can be dusty. Jeff Stewardson discussed using sand bedding, which has improved cow comfort and health at his farm, though it requires specialized equipment to manage manure and contaminated sand removal.

1. Dairy Day GBFW 15
Bedding Options Panel
Participants:
• Joseph Doré, Heritage Hill Farms
• Steve Hammell, Lorncliffe Holsteins
• Jeff Stewardson, Stewardson Dairy Inc.
• Moderated by: Marlene Paibomesai, Dairy
Specialist, OMAFRA

2. Heritage Hill Farms
The Johnston family, since 1842

3. Our History
 The Johnston family originally settled in Toronto Gore
(now Brampton) in 1842.
 Currently operating as a joint-venture partnership
with James & Frances Johnston, Graham Johnston,
and Mary Ann and Joe Doré.
 Moved the milking herd to New Dundee in March 2011.
 Heifers moving to New Dundee in January 2015.

4. Our Operation
 Milking: 60-64 cows, 2x/day.
 Herd: 74 cows, 70 heifers, all purebred Holsteins.
 Cropping: 650 acres (New Dundee: 400ac,
Brampton: 250ac.)
 Growing: Hay, Corn Silage, Grain Corn, Wheat, IP
Soybeans
 Sales: Purebred Holsteins, hay & haylage, straw
(not in 2014, though)

5. Our Herd
 34L/cow @ 4.1 BF, 3.4 PT
 SCC: 200,000
 Average DIM: 153
 Preg Rate: 26% (last 6 months), 23% (last 12 months)
 40% 1st , 28% 2nd, 32% >3rd Lactation
 Voluntary Wait Period: 55 DIM
 Average DIM to 1st Breeding: 70 DIM
 Average Days Open: 126 DIM
 Average Age at First Calving: 23.7 months

6. Our Barn
 H-style, 4-row head-to-head freestall with 2 bedded
packs.
 48” stalls for cows, 36” stalls for breeding age heifers
 2 milking groups, 1 far-off dry cow group, 1 close-up dry
cow group.
 2x8 herringbone parlour.
 Automatic sort-gate with 20’x60’ sort pen in breezeway.
 Rubber in front alleys, crossovers, holding area.
 Diamond-grooved concrete back alleys.
 Automatic alley scrapers
 Automatic shuttle scraper retrofitted into “flow” gutter.

10. Composted Manure as Bedding
 In use since moving to new barn in
March 2011.
 Made using a Daritech Bedding Master
6-16.
 Liquid manure is agitated, then
pumped into an EYS Screw Press.
 Liquids go to outdoor storage while
solids enter the Bedding Master.

11. Composted Manure as Bedding
 Solids tumble in the Bedding Master
drum for 36-48 hours.
 Bedding exits the Bedding Master onto
a set of conveyors and is transported to
the bedding storage bay.
 Bedding is taken from storage bay and
spread into the stalls every Wednesday
and Friday morning.
 Bedding is also used to bed the sort
pen every 1-2 months.

12. Why Composted Manure?

14. Why Composted Manure?
 Deep, loose bedding unequaled for cow comfort.
 Fear of sand.
 Wear and tear.
 Hard work.
 Supply.
 Manure management.
 Fear of straw.
 Supply.
 Manure management.
 Environment.
 Fear of sand applied to the fields over multiple generations.
 Nutrient Management.
 Impact of sand (gravel pits).

15. Why Composted Manure?
 Targeted application of solid manure.
 Easy application of a pure liquid manure.
 No agitation required at time of application.
 Easily drag-lined.
 Reduced liquid storage requirements.
 No bedding added to manure cycle (made up entirely of food fibers).
 Solids removed from liquid storage requirement.
 Credit applied during Nutrient Management application at OMAFRA.
 Endless supply of bedding.
 Always more bedding than we need for the stalls.
 Conveniently stored inside and always accessible.

16. How We Bed Using Composted Manure
 Add fresh bedding on
Wednesdays and
Fridays using a Becker
80HTL Woodchuck side
slinger attachment on a
John Deer 320D skid
steer with solid tires.

17. How We Bed Using Composted Manure
 Pull back bedding
on Mondays with
a Bobcat 323
mini-excavator.

18. How We Bed Using Composted Manure
 Groom stalls 2x
daily with a
Mensch sand-
groomer
attachment on
the skid steer.

19. How We Bed Using Composted Manure
 Apply Stalosan Bedding
conditioner/sanitizer
every morning using an
AgMini push-style
electric side-spreader.

20. Our Schedule
AM PM
Monday 1. Pull bedding back from front
2. Apply Stalosan
1. Groom
Tuesday 1. Groom
2. Apply Stalosan
1. Groom
Wednesday 1. Groom
2. Bed milking groups
3. Apply Stalosan
1. Groom
Thursday 1. Groom
2. Apply Stalosan
1. Groom
Friday 1. Groom
2. Bed milking groups & heifers
3. Apply Stalosan
1. Groom
Saturday 1. Groom
2. Apply Stalosan
1. Groom
Sunday 1. Groom
2. Apply Stalosan
1. Groom

21. Udder Health
 SCC: 350,000  200,000 after moving from tie-stall.
 SCC as low as 78,000 but as bad as 350,000.
 Mastitis: 1-2 clinical cases per month.
 Factors:
Teat end health.
Stall condition
Stall cleanliness
Stall dimension
Consistency
 Striving for consistent 150,000 SCC and reduced clinical
mastitis.

22. Important
Stalosan = 10,000 – 20,000 SCC reduction
Grooming 2x daily = 50,000 SCC reduction
Stall maintenance & dimensions
Increased stall occupancy
Increased lying time
Straighter cows
Cleaner stalls
Fresh cow health/monitoring critical to reducing
illness, including mastitis.

23. Costs
Fuel ($175/month)
Screens & equipment maintenance
($500/month)
Electricity (~$400/month with TOU Hydro
schedule)
Stalosan ($100/month)

24. Costs
Specialized equipment :
Skid steer, side slinger, groomer, lime spreader, mini-
excavator.
Labour: including (34 hours/month)
Total: $55/day, < $0.59/stall/day (+ capital
costs)

25. Savings
• No bedding to purchase.
• Relatively small storage for bedding (continuous flow).
• Liquid manure is easy to spread.
• $6,800 to drag hose vs. $10,000 to tanker vs.
$15,000 to haul sand
• No wear on equipment.

26. Pros & Cons
Pros Cons
Endless supply Labour intensive, cow wait-time.
Cow comfort Bedding packs hard over time
Cow cleanliness Wide range of equipment needed for
maintenance
Non-abrasive Will not flow well in a gravity system
Pure liquid manure Can lead to slippery floors
Indoor storage Equipment maintenance
No bedding to purchase Retains moisture & bacteria
Pack bedding Grooming is hard on skid steer tires
Environmentally friendly Udder health issues if management slips
Targeted solid manure application

27. Things to consider…
 Volume of bedding spilled from stalls is significant.
Tail-to-tail stalls may be better for loading alley scraper
evenly.
Flow gutter will not work without mechanical assistance.
 Bedding is highly absorbent but also dries to a fine
dust.
Curtains equipped with wind/rain sensor are a must.
 Side-slinger works best from directly behind the stall.
Planned on bedding both stalls from one side.
Slinger will throw far enough, but very messy and doesn’t
apply bedding evenly.

28. Things to consider…
Not suited to a one-person operation.
Labour
Timing
Composted Bedding will NEVER outdo
mats/mattresses/water beds for labour and cost
efficiency but is a very attractive option for
loose bedding.

29. Steve Hammell, Lorncliffe Holsteins
Peat Bedding
Presentation

34. Longevity
• January 2012 23% of Herd in 3rd Lactation
• December 2014 58% of Herd in 3rd Lactation
• Top 10% of Herds on DHI

35. Somatic Cell Count
• 2013 104 000
• 2014 115 000
• Avg L.S. 2.3 = Top 15% of herds on DHI

36. Production
• January 2012 29L BCA 188 192 194
• December 2014 36.5L BCA 220 241 231
• Top 20% of herds on DHI

40. Advantages
• Soft, Absorbant, non-Abrasive
• Easy on Manure Equipment
• Low SCC count

42. Disadvantages
• Appearance of "dust" on cows/equipment
• Potential Handling of Peat Moss/Labour

44. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
• Range of 55-75 cents per stall per day
• Purchase half load – 595 bales or full loads
• $6.80 a bale

46. Stewardson Dairy
Sand Bedding Presentation

47. Outline
 Farm Description
 Past Bedding Program
 Current Bedding Program
 Effects on Herd Health
 DHIA Facts
 Economics of Sand
 Sand Challenges
 Summary

48. Farm Description
Located in Lambton County
225 Milking
900 acres Farmed
Main Dairy Constructed in 2001

49. Stewardson Dairy in
2013

50. Original Farm House

51. Stewardson Family

52. Original Dairy Facility
Pasture Mats
Sawdust Bedding
 Converted to Heifer Barn
in 2001
Discontinued use and
removed in 2011

53. Past Bedding Program

54. Previous Bedding Surface
* Replica image of Sawdust and Mat Bedding
Experienced difficulties with cow comfort & udder health.

55. Current Bedding Program

56. Current Drivethrough Dairy Barn
284 Sand Bedded Freestalls & Straw Bedded Box Stalls
Double 10 Paralell Parlour
House Milking and Dry Cows
Skid Steer Scraped/ Gravity Flow Manure

57. New Idea?

58. Sand Quarry
Bedding Sand Supply near Grand Bend Ontario

59. Screened Sand
3 mm screen used
Low Clay content

60. Truck Unloading Sand
3 loads every 2 weeks (82 mT)
Important truck is clear of large stones

61. Sand Slinger
 Skid Steer Attached
Conveyer Bucket
 Heavy Duty 1 ½ yard
capacity

62. Sand Rake
 Raked used when
freestalls are under
utilized

63. Empty Freestall
Sand Freestalls Bedded
every 14 days
Picture approximately 7
days after bedding

64. Effects on Herd Health

65. Cow Standing in Freestall
8 year old cow
Hocks/ knees in excellent
conditions

66. Cow Laying Down
 Sand conform to the
shape of the cow
 Note Cow Udder
position

67. Cow’s Foot
 Uneven hoof
growth
 Excellent
Strawberry foot
control

68. DHIA Facts

69. - Herd Management Score 924
- Avg. S.C.C 81,000
- 10 years General Milk Quality Award 2002-2011
- 3 years Gold Milk Quality Award 2012-2014
- Calving interval 12.3 months
- Avg. days open 98
- Avg. D.I.M 145

70. - Preg. Rate 26
- 38% 1st. lact. 22% 2nd. 40% 3rd. and later
- Voluntary wait 1st. lact 60 days , 2nd and
later 50 days
- Avg. milk production DHIA 38.4 litres/day
3.9 B.F 3.3 Protein
- B.C.A 259-263-256
- Age at 1st calving 23.8 months

76. Economics of Sand

77. Dollars and Cents
 82 mT of sand used every 2 weeks.
 Cost at $9.50/ mT delivered
 284 mature cow freestalls (20kg (45lbs) of
sand/freestall/day)
Sand Cost / Freestall / Day
 82Mt x 9.50/mT = $779
 779/ 14 days= $55.64/ day for 284 freestalls
 55.64/284 = 19.6 cents/ freestall/ day

78. Sand Challanges

79. Contaminated Sand
Used yearly
Removal of
Contaminated Sand
Back 3 feet of
contaminated sand
freestall removed

80. Entrance Ramp to Gravity Flow
System Heavy settle Sand
accumulates under
barn
Requires loader to
remove from under
barn
Clean 2 times a
year

81. Specially Designed Manure
Agitator
Requires constant
operator
Adds costs to
manure removal

82. Manure Agitator View from
Seat

83. Liquid Manure Pit near
Empty Liquid ring created on outside
of pit
Center mount of Sand is
gradually mixed into outer
liquid ring
Liquid from adjacent heifer
pit added to help mix
Manure Removal cost
increases with more equipment

84. Extra Sand Challenges
 Delivered Frozen Sand
 Dulls clipper blades
 Abrasive to anything sand comes into
contact with ie. milk pumps, washing
machines, inflations etc.
 Physical labour/ heavy material
 Inconsistent freestall dimension

85. Extra Sand Challenges
Cont…
 Regular surfaces like cattle trailers and straw bedded box
stalls becomes slippery because cows are not used to a
surface without sand particles.
 Sand is a non-renewable resource.
 Requires increase fiber in diet (not eating bedding)
 Sand dries out cows teats

86. Summary
Economical bedding choice
Great Udder Health and Cow Comfort
Poses challenges in the manure system
Appraise nature causes wear and tear
If building new again would choose sand
bedding.
Would consider sand separation in the future
for reusing bedding.