Choosing the right bedding material: Looking beyond the price tag
Deep-bedded sand can be excellent for cows but only when managed correctly. The best bedding system is the one a farm understands, believes in and will maintain daily.
Walk into 10 dairy barns and you are likely to hear 10 different opinions on the best bedding material. Some producers swear by deep-bedded sand. Others have made recycled manure solids work well. Still others have managed mattress systems successfully for years.
From a cow comfort standpoint, deep-bedded sand is hard to beat when it is done right. But when it is done poorly, it can quickly become one of the worst environments for cows. Low stalls, contaminated sand, poor drainage, uneven bedding, inadequate grooming or a manure system that cannot handle sand can turn a good idea into a daily problem.
Dan Veeneman
September 1, 2026
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