Ready to make the smart choice?
If your cows spend a lot of time in indoor shelters, you should know that the right bedding material is integral for their happiness and for the benefit of your milk yields.
It’s vital that your cows get plenty of rest in the most comfortable space possible for optimal milk quality and quantity. Dairy cows will spend less time lying down if their space is not adequately equipped to meet their needs, resulting in reduced milk yield.
Unsure what the best material is? Here, we examine different bedding characteristics for dairy cows, their benefits, and other factors that impact cattle performance, so you can make informed choices to keep your farm running smoothly!
First, let’s answer the question: What is livestock bedding?
Unlike humans, bedding for dairy cows isn’t just about sleeping. It provides cushioning for joints, insulation against cold weather, and even absorbs waste, supporting cow health, cleanliness, and hygienic milk production.
Typically, the most common types of bedding are straw, sawdust or wood shavings, but other bedding materials like sand, paper, compost, miscanthus and cow mattresses are also popular and effective alternatives.
On average, dairy cattle spend about 10-12 hours a day lying down. When cows are resting, blood circulation through the udder increases by up to 30%, highlighting the importance of proper bedding material for cow comfort, health, and, of course, milk production.
Concrete surfaces are common in most modern dairy farming systems, but this brings risks to cattle. When cows stand on concrete, they’re prone to hoof lesions. That’s also where proper dairy cattle bedding becomes key. Rest time helps cows recover properly, preventing lameness and even culling.
Beyond offering sufficient support and a place where cows can maximise lying time, dry bedding is paramount in preventing diseases and injuries from unstable bedding.
To put it simply: A comfy heifer is a happy heifer, and happy heifers produce more milk!
It’s important to know what to consider when choosing your type of bedding for your dairy cows. Your bedding needs to be:
✅ Dry
✅ Non-abrasive
✅ Supportive
✅ Stable to walk on
✅ Preventive of pathogen growth
✅ Insulating
✅ Breathable
✅ Cost and labour efficient
✅ Available
✅ Compatible with your barn design
Think about the type of farming barn, shed, or shelter you use, your local climate, your budget, and your available resources. Take into account how much labour will be required to change and clean the bedding, as well as whether it will drain well.
Cows have been observed to have more lying time with deep-bedded sawdust compared to different bedding options. With its wide availability, it serves as an effective bedding material for livestock, provided it is properly screened and dried. Wet or untreated sawdust wood can harbour bacteria, particularly Klebsiella, which increases the risk of mastitis. However, when managed correctly, sawdust is comfortable for cows, reasonably absorbent, and breaks down into valuable organic matter. Sawdust is also one of the primary components used in composting barns, where it contributes to the aerated bedding pack that ultimately produces high-quality compost fertiliser.
Wood chips are another organic bedding material option, often used in stand-off pads or as a surface layer in barns. While less absorbent than sawdust, woodchips offer durability and good cushioning for cows. They are also biodegradable, though breakdown time can be slower than finer particles like sawdust. In many New Zealand operations, woodchips are used in combination with sawdust to improve cow comfort, drainage, and cost.
Straw is one of the oldest and most familiar bedding materials in dairy farming systems, especially open-style barns. It’s soft, insulating, and comfortable, creating optimal conditions for cows. Straw requires frequent replacement as wet straw can encourage pathogen growth. Adding lime or other amendments to straw bedding can improve hygiene and reduce bacterial load. Chopping the straw into small particle sizes improves cow comfort and reduces breakdown time.
Compost bedding, particularly when used in a composting barn system, is recognised as one of the most sustainable and animal-friendly options. A compost pack provides a soft, warm, and organic surface for cows while significantly reducing odour and pathogen growth when correctly aerated. In practice, this system requires regular tilling (usually twice daily during milking) and optimal ventilation to maintain the aerobic composting process. The pack is topped up with other materials like sawdust, wood shavings, or similar as required, and fully removed once or twice a year when it has reached about 1.2 metres in depth. The end product is a nutrient-rich compost that can be spread back onto paddocks, closing the nutrient cycle on the farm. This option requires more management than other materials but offers significant long-term benefits in animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and milk yields.
Sand bedding is widely regarded as one of the most hygienic materials for dairy cows. Its inorganic nature means it doesn’t support bacterial growth, reducing the risk of mastitis and hoof issues. Sand bedding provides excellent traction, lowering the chance of slips, and offers a cool, comfortable resting surface for cows during warmer months. Sand can present challenges for effluent systems as it does not break down and can accumulate in ponds or pumps; however, it remains an option for farmers prioritising hygiene over composting benefits.
You can use the same types of bedding for calves as you can for cows, whether it's sand, properly screened woodchips or another type of organic material. However, for calves, the priority is not just comfort but also dryness and hygiene. Calves have weaker immune systems, and wet bedding can lead to illness, so replenishing the bedding is crucial. Whichever material you choose, the key is to keep it well-managed, clean, and topped up regularly.
Calf bedding should be changed or replenished frequently, often more regularly than cow bedding. The exact frequency depends on the material used, farm design, and climate:
Daily checks to remove any wet or heavily soiled patches straight away.Full replacement every few days, especially when using straw, which soils quickly.Deep-litter systems (with sawdust or woodchip) can last longer if topped up consistently, but moisture build-up must be carefully managed.
Different bedding options for dairy cows are compatible with certain types of barns. The bedding you use must work in symbiosis with the style of barn and farming systems you employ.
Open-style barns, such as Smart Shelters’ composting barns, provide cows with the freedom of movement and the ability to lie down wherever they choose. In New Zealand, where animal welfare and pasture-based systems are highly valued, this setup complements the natural behaviour of cows while reducing stress and lameness.
The open-air structure of a composting barn is designed for optimal ventilation and moisture management, helping regulate temperature and ensuring the bedding remains effective throughout the year. Because cows aren’t standing on concrete for long periods, the risk of hoof damage, joint strain, and other injuries commonly associated with traditional barns is greatly reduced.
The right bedding is essential for keeping cows comfortable, healthy, and supporting quality milk production. While materials like straw, sawdust, and miscanthus each have their place, the key is choosing a system that ensures optimal conditions for cow welfare, hygiene, and ease of management.
At Smart Shelters, we believe composting barns provide one of the most sustainable and effective bedding environments for New Zealand dairy herds. Their deep organic layers, usually made of sawdust and wood shavings, create a soft, supportive surface where beneficial bacteria break down manure and urine into nutrient-rich compost, reducing waste and helping maintain a cleaner, drier environment for resting cows.
Call 0800 580 297 or complete our contact form to find out how SmartShelters composting barns can help increase blood circulation, support udder health, and ultimately contribute to higher milk yields.
Talk to our team about our highly resilient commercial shelters, backed with a leading 12-year guarantee, and generations of experience. Please get in touch with SmartShalters on 0800 580 297.
Heat stress is no stranger to New Zealand dairy farmers, with drier regions of the country such as Northland, King Country, and the Bay Of Plenty each
averaging over 80 sweltering hot heat stress days every year.
In New Zealand, every dairy farmer worth their salt knows just how important it is to look after the welfare of their animals. The health of the herd directly impacts profit margins, which, in turn, determines the viability and sustainability of the farm.
As a nation of farmers with a proud agricultural history, New Zealand is at the forefront of the dairy industry, renowned as a global industry leader with some of the best animal welfare standards in the world.
Protect what matters with New Zealand-made shelters built on 100 years of trusted expertise. Contact us today!
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