[Declan]

I have the goats on wood shavings all summer. In preparation for winter I am looking at getting straw in. I see oat straw and barley straw for sale. Does it make any difference when thinking about bedding.

[plumseverywhere]

whichever is cheaper - I bought expensive straw last week and then watched as they ate about £10 of it within seconds - learnt expensive lesson that day 

[ballingall]

I don't think it makes much difference- I can only get one kind up here, and it's never specified if it's oat or wheat, I think it is generally wheat though. They do like to eat straw as Plums says, and the extra fibre is good for them.


Beth

[Anke]

Mine are on wheat straw a the moment, and they also get it in their hayracks at night time at the moment - certainly cheaper than hay!

I also try and have families together in one pen in the winter, reduces need to straw/mucking out and they can cuddle up and keep each other warm.

I know that some people use shavings/horse bedding as it is easier to muck out than straw, but not sure how this would work out financially.

[Declan]

Thanks for that- will let you know the price of it over here in ireland

[Hermit]

I find it best to keep a layer of shavings under the straw.The bed seems to stay cleaner and dryer as it saves the straw from getting wet. Barley straw is the most palatable to anmals I believe. The goats cant wait for me to open the stable door after a muck out and let them in, they scoff as much as  possible.

[ballingall]

A layer of shavings or stovies does help to soak up the moisture, but we always put straw down on top of that.

Beth

[Anke]

What's stovies then? We use stovies for tatties (potatoes) baked in the oven... but I guess that's not for goats' bedding...

[ballingall]

Stovies is just compressed sawdust or shavings, but it takes longer to absorb the fluid so lasts a bit longer. I use it in the kids pens from the time they are born until about now, as they have to wee out all that milk!

http://www.hotstovies.com/HorseLitter.htm

Beth

[Anke]

Might look into that for winter bedding, as I hopefully will be able to just have two pens in use and so can spend a little more on bedding if it means that build-up is not so fast (and the pen doors get stuck!)