Sawdust and health concerns

[Jjb]

Have two ponies I have had for a few weeks now.
They are being stalked a lot more than I would like due to having to limit pasture. Will be making their run in and drylot with a partial pp track this weekend.

i started out using pine shavings from tractor supply. Realizing there was more waste with shavings I switched to fine shavings. Much better… But we are still going through a lot due to girls having to be in so much. A couple of folks told us of a source for saw dust. I have used this in the past for stalls and see many larger stables using this. I was excited to be able to fill the bed of my truck for only $20.00. Big cost savings for us!
Then I started reading up on sawdust for horse stalls and saw that while it is very absorbent and economical, it is not recommended due to health risks … Mainly inhaling dust particles … Esp of certain species.
i DS not even think to ask the mill what trees the dust came from … But they did say they sell to other horse farms including a large racetrack.

Last week the Shetland dev a slight cough. She lays and rolls in her stall often so now I am wondering if her cough is from the sawdust and feeling really bummed if I cannot use this.

what do you all know think of the use of sawdust?

thanks,

j

[OneTwoMany]

In my younger days, I rode or worked at a few barns that used sawdust for bedding and they didn’t have any issues. However, these barns were well ventilated and/or the horses were turned out a lot. The sawdust did contain some moisture and wasn’t completely dry so dust wasn’t really an issue. However, it isn’t hard to imagine that dry sawdust might aggravate a horse that is prone to pulmonary issues. If you are loath to give up using sawdust, maybe you can consider adding a little water to the bedding to keep the dust level in check.

Another thing to consider is that some hardwoods such as walnut are toxic to horses, so confirming the source of your bedding is always an important item; which can be more challenging to accomplish with sawdust that is purchased in bulk.

[someday]

I currently use Guardian swift pick (IMO way better than TSC) at my barn because I can’t stand the dust of the bulk sawdust available in my area. Bedding is my highest expense so it’s constantly on my mind when I’m doing stalls. I don’t want the horses (or myself!) breathing in the dust, but I would like to make a little bit of money. I’ve decided to raise my board and stick with higher standards and set up some dry lots to keep them out longer.

[FraggleRock]

Maybe it depends where you are at but where I live sawdust is actually heavy not at all dusty. Shavings are by far way more dusty than typical sawdust.

[tazycat]

I used saw dust one year it is way to dusty everything was coated in dust. Watering it down only last for so long then it’s back to being dusty. I get the finer shavings and fined they aren’t dusty,but i only put enough to cover mats. I won’t buy sawdust,pay just as much for it as the good bedding. I get a big truck load of shaving for 40$ last 2 1/2 months bedding two stalls,for horses coming in daily.

[walktrot]

My BO has been using sawdust for years, gets it by the dumptruck load from a local guy who mills lumber. It is softwood, probably primarily pine. We have never had a horse have problems with it. It is a lot easier to pick stalls - less waste because you can sift the poop out and then go for the wet spot. Around here it is way cheaper than shavings, which while also a local product, come in all that fancy packaging, and the only real way to save money on them is to by them by the trailer (18 wheeler) load.

[dotneko]

I have been using sawdust for over 30 years - big tractor trailers delivered 7 times a year. Green, pine. No dust problems whatsoever. We heat our barn in winter, so it is pretty closed up much of the winter. No breathing problems for horse or human.

[Cat_Tap]

I buy my sawdust in bags. Easier for me to handle and control. I pay a little extra for dust free sawdust., (which seems to be an oxymoron) Have been using it for over 30 years without problems.

[candyappy]

I bedded with sawdust from the local sawmill for years with no issues. I loaded it myself for free. I don’t see any difference between that and the mini flake shaving they are bagging now at the farm stores.

I didn’t keep my horses stalled and my barn was open and well ventilated. I find sawdust much more absorbent. Wish I could still get it.

[Scribbler]

If your horses develop a cough from your bedding, it is too dusty for them. If they don’t develop a cough, it is fine, at least in the short time. They may develop a cough from repeated exposure. My old pony ended up with a dust-related cough in her teens that went away on pasture, after living on a very clean fluffy bulk sawdust bed stalled 24/7 for several years. My current horse got a cough after a month on the compressed pine sawdust pellets, but has been fine on bagged shavings. Other horses have been fine for years on the compressed pellets. you have to go by what the horse tells you. Some horses even find straw too dusty.

[IPEsq]

When it’s dry here (which is a lot), it’s very dusty. Too dusty IMO, but at least during the drier times, the barn is very well ventilated. But then the fans are often running, which makes it dustier. When you’ve got moisture in the air, like we’ve had a bit lately, it’s really nice to use. Much heavier and less dusty, though still easy to pick. It’s kind of the best of the worst from the bulk supplier the barn uses. They also do chips, which are awful and not absorbent at all. The flake shavings they do are too much $ for their quality. Not a ton of trees right around here, so not too many suppliers to choose from if buying in bulk vs bags.

[alterhorse]

I’d rather go with straw… if the particular horse does not eat it (some will).

I’ve been to barns that use saw dust, and all of them have been dusty.

If a horse developed respiratory problems after changing to saw dust bedding, I’d stop using the saw dust.

The idea of a horse foundering from being on saw dust that has Black Walnut in it, scares me.

[Jjb]

The dustier stuff is tractor supply fine. I have not used the bulk stuff yet as I am reluctant after reading the article re sawdust is not recommended for horses.

@FraggleRock

Maybe it depends where you are at but where I live sawdust is actually heavy not at all dusty. Shavings are by far way more dusty than typical sawdust.

[Jjb]

Yes, I love sawdust because of its absorbency.
I am hoping we can use it and ponies cough is not from that. I still have flakes here. Maybe I will use those for a while and see if that helps.

@candyappy

I bedded with sawdust from the local sawmill for years with no issues. I loaded it myself for free. I don’t see any difference between that and the mini flake shaving they are bagging now at the farm stores.

I didn’t keep my horses stalled and my barn was open and well ventilated. I find sawdust much more absorbent. Wish I could still get it.