COMPARISON OF SHREDDED NEWSPAPER AND SAWDUST AS BEDDING FOR DAIRY-COWS - BEHAVIORAL, CLINICAL AND ECONOMIC-PARAMETERS

Studies were carried out to compare the effectiveness of newspaper or sawdust as bedding materials for dairy cattle. The parameters measured were cow preference, incidence of mastitis and lameness, cow cleanlin ess, and economics. Cow preference was measured using 64 cows housed i n a 64-cubicle (crossrail design) shed. In Experiment 1, the cows had a choice of four bedding treatments: (i) concrete and paper, (ii) conc rete and sawdust, (iii) mats and paper, (iv) mats and sawdust, and the results showed that the highest utilisation was in the latter treatme nt. In Experiment 2, the 64 cows were divided into four groups of 16 a nimals and each group was housed in one of the four treatments with no choice. Again cows showed a preference (based on occupancy of cubicle s) for lying on mats and sawdust. Only one cow, lying on sawdust and m ats developed an intramammary infection. There was no difference in ei ther claw health or cow cleanliness between the four treatments. The e conomic analysis indicated that the material cost of sawdust and newsp aper was similar; however, there was a higher labour cost incurred whe n using newspaper due to a requirement for more frequent renewal of be dding.