Feds fund research into more affordable bedding for dairy cows

The government of Canada is investing in research that could help dairy farmers on the East Coast find more affordable sources of bedding for their cows, reports The DairySite.com. The feds are investing $203,000 through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program. The research will explore using Newfoundland and Labrador’s abundant peat moss supply as a more affordable and potentially healthier alternative to traditional bedding materials such as sawdust. Peat moss can hold up to 12 times its own weight in liquid and can absorb about four times more ammonia than some traditional bedding, all of which may contribute to better air quality for workers and cows. The research project will run about eight months to determine if peat moss can meet the industry’s standards for dairy cow bedding and whether it could be economically viable in the province.