With this talk of bedding and barn cleaning I want to hear how well the sand and/or stall mats are working out for those that just got them recently. I'm going to have the time of my life this winter. :nooo Our "new" barn is not going to get built after all because works been slow around here so I've got to get the shelters I do have nice and dry. Does sand wick moisture upwards? For example if the sand is deep and the bottom portion is wet, will the top stay dry?
I have also been thinking about this. I feel like it would be so much easier to clean out as I had to "build up" the barn floor. I am worried about the humidity or does the sand help with that? Do you put shavings on top or just sweep them out? Judith, hope I didn't intrude. Just have been really thinking about this. Wendy
Wendy, here are some old threads you might like to read. https://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,4178.0.html https://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,1969.0.html https://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,4710.0.html https://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,1005.0.html
I used horse stall mats in one side of my barn last winter and I hated it! It keeps the moisture on top and the bedding was always soaked and soiled twice as quickly as the dirt side. I tried bedding deeper but when I'd clean the straw was always dripping wet on the bottom
Last spring, I redid a kidding stall & used sand with stall matts & shavings on top. It worked really well for me- easy to clean
