Straw or Saw Dust

[tabby]

Is it really best to use straw in the stall with a mare and foal. I usually use the saw dust because it is so much easier to clean but I was told not to use it in the stall with mare and foal. The straw is just making a big muddy mess. I would appreciate any pros and cons of straw or saw dust.

[MaryKansas]

My personal opinion would be to use the shavings right up until the mare is ready to foal, then bed the stall down with the straw. I've read to many horror stories where the shavings have ended up in the mares uterus after foaling, causing infections and the foals that have breathed the shavings into the lungs...all with dior consequences. This is only my opinion, and since I havent foaled out any mares yet, I dont have a "hands on" answer for you....just what I plan on doing in the future.

[ShainaTN]

I agree Mary! It is a very risky option that you have! Why would you risk the life of your foal or health of your mare just because shavings are easier to clean?

The shaving are not ideal because they are easily breathed in by the foal. Also, when the foal is trying to find his footing, it is harder to grip. Straw gives them firm footing! And when it comes down to it, shavings are much more expensive than a bale of straw. It may take 5 bags of shavings to cover the stall floor and still that would not be deep enough... and it usually takes only one bale of straw. It is a good idea however to have the stall bedded with shavings up until they are very close to foaling, then bed the stall with straw right before she foals... even if she doesn't foal that night, you know that you won't have to worry about the mare foaling on the shavings!

Hope that I've helped!

P.S. If you don't have any straw, use a bale of hay... Hey, at least it's not shavings! Their are way more cons to shavings than there are pros!

[tabby]

Thanks for the information. It does make sense about the foal breathing in the shavings. My filly is now 4 days old. Does anyone know if there is a certain age that I can put the shaving back in the stall.

[brookhaven]

I try to wait until right when the mare foals to bed in hay (clean straw is hard to find around here). If she happens to foal on shavings, I put a towel under the foal's head and then clean and bed the stall. Especially if it's cold, the foal can nestle in the hay/straw.

[Jen]

once the embilicle(sp?) has dried up we switch back to shavings about a week

[tabby]

That was the reason I was asking. See the shavings are not expense where I live because you can get them for free. The straw is like $5 a bale. I mean I am not going to risk the foals life or anything. Thats why I changed the bedding. I was just asking opinions and when I could put the shavings back in.

[MaryKansas]

You only learn by asking questions Tabby...and its very apparent that since you did ask, that you care about your foal!!
Can I ask where you get your shavings for free? Do a lot of places offer them free? I know back in Indiana, (where I'm originally from) there was a lumber yard that would give shavings away, until the demand for them got so great, they started charging for them....still at a discount rate though.

[coolcowgirl]

We use saw dust up until the mare is ready then put straw or hay down.. when the foal is right at a week old we go back to saw dust.. Saw dust here is free also and right now we are haveign a time even finding any hay for sale let alone straw.. was a bad year last year here for hay..

Robin

[Golden Girl]

I have had mares foal outside & in the stall. Outside they chose a place where is was just dirt yuck. Inside I use sawdust. I tried the straw/hay way, and what an awful mess! The sawdust that I get is NOT dusty at all because it is out of green wood, and it is so easily to clean. I have never had a problem with the sawdust with either mare or foal. I am diligent in cleaning the stall several times a day removing the wet & soiled bedding, airing out the wet areas out daily. Sooo it seems to be a personal choice. Remember that there are risks at whatever you do.

I forgot to add that I do spread a little hay on top to the sawdust/wood chips. AND last night my mare foaled successfully on the sawdust w/a little hay on it with NO problems to either!

[wendi (calif)]

I would never Foal on Sawdust/shavings. Yes the straw is a mess BUT baby will not inhale it. If you watch your babies you'll see even straw near or in their mouth or nose, I'm sure when Angie and Heather see this thread You'll hear some REal GOOD reasons to NOT use saw dust or shavings.
Remember babies nose hits the ground alot..I'd much rather use the straw for awhile then to chance ANY problems with shavings/sawdust. Hay I wish I could use but in Ca a lil to expensive to bed with;)
But why take the chance of Baby inhaling even a lil of the sawdust or shavings.

[merlinsmomtwh]

When you say sawdust I thought you meant ...sawdust... not shavings or wood chips as we call them here. I would never bed any animal with saw dust. But I think you mean shavings.

[Heather T]

We use shavings, woody pets, Streufex, whatever right up to the time of foaling. Then we bed the top heavily with straw or hay. We keep the foal on that until we feel they are old enough to come off of it.

A really good case in point would be my memorial page. Read about a foal at Angie's house (J&A Farms) that died needlessly because he INHALED the shavings - and this was a mini, not a big horse, so the nostrils are smaller. It's just not WORTH the chance.

[Jen]

admin said:

We use shavings, woody pets, Streufex, whatever right up to the time of foaling. Then we bed the top heavily with straw or hay. We keep the foal on that until we feel they are old enough to come off of it.

A really good case in point would be my memorial page. Read about a foal at Angie's house (J&A Farms) that died needlessly because he INHALED the shavings - and this was a mini, not a big horse, so the nostrils are smaller. It's just not WORTH the chance.

Im sorry I must be blind but I can find your memorial page

[Heather T]

I'm sorry Jen. You're not blind at all My farm is Mulligans Run and there should be a memorial page there.

Go to www.mulligansrun.com/MemorialPage.html It's Achilles that died from the shavings.