A frequently asked question is whether the bedding can be treated with chemicals or some other means to control bacterial buildup. The primary focus needs to be on keeping stalls as clean, dry and soil free as possible while recognizing they are never going to be sterile. M any dairy farms have switched to sand as a bedding material in an attempt to limit environmental bacteria growth. It provides no source of nutrients because it is composed of inorganic materials. This minimizes the bacteria food supply.
Sand also drains reasonably well reducing the moisture available for bacterial growth.
O pen corrals, commonly used to house cattle in many western regions, work well much of the year. These areas which are predominantly hot, dry and sunny do well under such conditions for two reasons. First the arid conditions limit bacterial growth due to lack of moisture. Secondly, the surface layers of the corrals are exposed to intense sunlight, which kills a significant percentage of the bacteria present. T he conditions often change in winter however.