[sausagesandcash]

Is straw or hay the best bedding for pigs? Or does it matter? I thought I read somewhere that hay wasn't suitable, but I can't find any references to it now.

Regards,

Morgan

[BadgerFace]

I've never heard that straw isn't suitable. We always use it here, as do other farms i've worked on. Will be interested to hear what everyone else uses though. 

[JulieS]

I haven't heard or read anything about not using straw. 

I'm using straw here.

[sausagesandcash]

Sorry, meant hay. have amended

[dixie]

Hay is a feed, straw a bedding! straw is warmer and cosier to sleep on, hay is too thin and more expensive!!

[hexhammeasure]

wet hay can form a poisonous mould. I was always told never to use hay as bedding for anything. having said that our lambs always prefer to lie under the hay hecks

[sausagesandcash]

That's grand, knew there was something about the hay alright, but just couldn't find it. Lot of cows calving round here at the moment so straw is in short supply, was going to use hay as a stop gap. Looks like i'll have to call in a favour instead.

Many thanks,


Morgan

[Daveravey]

Barley straw is better when you're farrowing as it's not so "sharp" on the piglets.

[BillyBerridge]

As said before straw is a far better insulater than hay. Straw is also a particularly good piece of enrichment for pigs, If you've never seen it before throw them a few slices and watch how long it will keep them entertained, some time you can observe them carrying it in to thier ark which always makes me laugh.

For some reason pigs find straw a great stress reliever, if one of our pigs has a stressful experience a few slices always does the job to calm them down - sounds silly i know but it works!

[Tullywood Farm]

Just watch the pigs for a while after bringing in new straw, buy it in from someone who is just dealing in hay and straw, preferrably not land that has had cattle on it, as sometimes they can get ticks or lice, and will get stressed and start itching -

Ticks and lice also affected our dogs and cats who free range the farm and play in the straw, when we have brought straw from a local farmer.

Noromectin will be the easiest to treat pigs, if you do get a problem.
 

[MiriMaran]

Hay also compacts more, but I can't see it being a problem if its a very temporary stopgap

[sausagesandcash]

Just got some straw, my usual guy was sold out.
I once made the mistake of leaving the remains  of a straw bale covered in the enclosure ('bout 3/4 of a round bale). Needless to say they made mince meat of it, still good for the soil, but not the pocket!
Joe, I give all my stock a subcuteaneous injection of Noromectin, every six mths. I find it does the trick.

Regards, and thanks for all the advice.

Morgan

[daviddb]

Our two get given straw as bedding which they promptly toss out through the door of their ark and at bedtime they take in usful and interesting sticks that they have come across during the day.....

hey ho! ( so to speak)

David

[gavo]

Morgan,

Hay is too dusty so you'd run the risk of pneumonia if the ark wasn't ventilated enough. A cheaper alternative would be to go and chop down some rushes for them if they haven't learnt that trick themselves. We would bed an ark down with shavings or straw before a sow had a litter. For the others we leave it up to themselves to bed an ark down.


Cheers

Gavin

[sausagesandcash]

Great tip Gavin, thanks. We have no shortage of rushes. The area the pigs are in has no rushes. They wont see that field until next year at the earliest, so it's time to get the strimmer out!

Regards,

Morgan