Two classifications commonly used in categorizing bedding materials are organic and inorganic. Each type of bedding has advantages and disadvantages. Organic bedding can provide a suitable substrate for the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. Sawdust and wood shavings are the most common organic bedding materials used by Mississippi dairy producers. These materials work well with liquid-manure handling systems because the microbial activity of the lagoon eventually breaks down the bedding.
Sand is an inorganic bedding material comprised principally of silicon with little or no carbon.
Unfortunately, these types of bedding can cause problems in the waste-treatment system. The waste-management system used in your dairy should influence bedding choices. In fact, the incorporation of inorganic bedding on receiving land areas can be advantageous from a soil structure standpoint. Flush systems use the hydraulic energy of large quantities of water released quickly to wash manure, waste bedding, and urine into the treatment lagoon. Lagoons are designed to treat a specific quantity of organic waste such as manure, urine, and limited quantities of other organic materials such as bedding.