Removing Dust From Bedding

[Jake_Walker_TWH]

I bed deeply with shavings. They gradually break down and in only a few days, I have a mix of nice, big flakes, smaller flakes, granular “stuff” maybe 1/2 mm to 1 mm in diameter, and dust. I would like to get the dust out of the mix. Has anyone done this? I cut the bottom out of a muck bucket and covered it with a fine mesh material, then fill the bucket with the shaving mix and shake, shake, shake…then shake some more. t works OK but it’s a lot of work and takes a long time to clean out a stall.

Has anyone found a machine that will do this? I’ve found several shaker devices, both commercial and DIY, that shake the bedding but they’re designed to separate out the manure and let everything smaller flow through. I’ve thought of trying to replace the screen material they use with my fine mesh but I’m pretty sure that won’t work, for several reasons.

Help, anyone?

[4LeafCloverFarm]

Does the horse have heaves or severe allergies and that is why it needs to be dust free? Because all bedding materials (pine shavings, newspaper, expandable pellets, straw, etc.) break down eventually under hooves - though some are less dusty than others.

I can’t imaging sieving my shavings. That’s a real labor of love right there!

[Scribbler]

I can’t imagine doing something this labor intensive. Perhaps there is a more sturdy brand of shavings? If the horses are having respiratory problems maybe switch to another form of bedding like straw? Or spray the bedding with water?

[OneTwoMany]

If the bedding material you are using breaks down as the horse walks on it, there is probably little you can do to prevent smaller particles from forming. Have you looked into different types of bedding (not just shavings)? We use pellets which are wetted when a new bag is added. We find they are less dustier than wood shavings and easier to pick through.

[skip99]

I also try to keep the dust down, close to impossible especially with a stonedust aisle. I am using a mix of pellets and large flake shavings. Every couple of weeks I bank all the bedding (pitchfork doesn’t grab dust, so most dust is left on the floor). I spray the exposed dust lightly with the hose and sweep it into a pile to scoop out. Obviously not a perfect solution but it does help.

[SonnysMom]

Move the dustiest portion to where the horse normally pees. Then it gets removed with the wet spot the next time you clean.

In our area a lot of people use straw at larger barns since the mushroom farms will remove the manure piles. I don’t find straw to be as dusty as shavings.

A friend uses pellets and lightly waters as necessary.

[equiniphile]

My barn recently switched to Sanicare, which is dust-free. Costs more up front ($140 to bed a stall) but you waste so little that new bedding doesn’t need to be added frequently.

[4LeafCloverFarm]

@equiniphile

My barn recently switched to Sanicare, which is dust-free. Costs more up front ($140 to bed a stall) but you waste so little that new bedding doesn’t need to be added frequently.

Ouch! :eek: 14 to 15 bags (per Sani-Care website) to bed a 12X12 stall to a 2" depth. But I suppose for horses with heaves or allergies, its a good option to have. But dang, for my 3 stalls I’d need nearly 50 bags just for initial bedding. Yowza!

[S1969]

I would ask “why?” Why do you want to remove the dust?

Better choice would be to change the way you are bedding than try to sieve the bedding. Maybe use mats and use less bedding, so it doesn’t break down for as long?

Or switch to straw or something else.

[WildGooseChase]

Unless your horse has diagnosed respiratory issues, then I wouldn’t bother. If you’re really that hell bent on making your barn dust free, then put rubber mats down, use less bedding, or use pelleted bedding that you can mist down every day. That’s what I do for my filly who has had issues with respiratory infections in the past. I use a watering can to wet the pellets down, and then as needed to keep the dust down. It works really well without compromising the function of the bedding.

[Lucassb]

One of my horses has allergies, so I have looked into lots of options for bedding. I’m currently testing flax )https://stablemanagement.com/new-products/flax-bedding-usa-market-horse-owners-30649) and pleased so far.

[equiniphile]

@4LeafCloverFarm

Ouch! :eek: 14 to 15 bags (per Sani-Care website) to bed a 12X12 stall to a 2" depth. But I suppose for horses with heaves or allergies, its a good option to have. But dang, for my 3 stalls I’d need nearly 50 bags just for initial bedding. Yowza!

I was definitely skeptical at first, but they haven’t had to add much since starting out with the Sanicare about a month ago. The bedding looks pristine. It helps that the stalls are big (range from 12x13 to 14x20) and each horse has a run-out area, so they don’t spend a lot of time walking circles or pacing in the bedding. And of course they’re out on pasture for a large chunk of the night.

There’s a local HJ barn that’s started using them on a trial basis, and their horses are stalled more than ours. They seem to think it ends up being cheaper in the long run than traditional bagged shavings, so they’re planning to switch everyone over.

[4LeafCloverFarm]

@equiniphile the one photo I saw on the Sani-Care site looks very much like the “mulch” my electric cooperative leaves for me when they come trim my trees back every 5 years or so. Thin, fairly small, hardwood chunks - great stuff. Use it all over my farm for a variety of things. But I honestly never considered bedding a stall with it. It doesn’t seem all that “soft” to me - but what do I know… I’m not a horse!

[CanteringCarrot]

@Lucassb

One of my horses has allergies, so I have looked into lots of options for bedding. I’m currently testing flax )https://stablemanagement.com/new-products/flax-bedding-usa-market-horse-owners-30649) and pleased so far.

The stable where I board my horse switched to flax bedding a few months ago and I really like it. My horse has allergies, and is quite dust sensitive. This bedding works well for him. The flax bedding seems to be more absorbent, create less waste - the manure pile doesn’t grow so fast (especially when compared to straw), and one bag goes a long way. The only thing is that it can be a bit slippery when a new bag is added. No one has slipped, but you can feel it.

It also cost less than shavings, in our neck of the woods, anyway.

[Lucassb]

@CanteringCarrot

The stable where I board my horse switched to flax bedding a few months ago and I really like it. My horse has allergies, and is quite dust sensitive. This bedding works well for him. The flax bedding seems to be more absorbent, create less waste - the manure pile doesn’t grow so fast (especially when compared to straw), and one bag goes a long way. The only thing is that it can be a bit slippery when a new bag is added. No one has slipped, but you can feel it.

It also cost less than shavings, in our neck of the woods, anyway.

Yep, I would agree it is more absorbent and I feel like it has made cleaning stalls easier as a bonus. The reduction in waste was also a factor for me, as I use a spreader and the flax material is much better from that perspective as well. It is high in nitrogen, so additive to the soil, unlike the shavings which also took a lot longer to break down. I am a fan.