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Best Practices in Wood Waste Recycling Click here for printable PDF version Quality Specification for Animal Bedding
Material: Wood Waste
Issue: There are several areas of the country where the market is fairly well established for wood shavings and/or sawdust as livestock bedding. Sawdust
and
wood
shavings
typically
compete
with
straw
and
newsprint
bedding.
In
some
areas,
straw
is
becoming
less
available
as
farmers
change
their
planting
practices.
In some parts of the country,
shredded
old
newspaper
bedding
is
increasingly
used
in
place
of
straw.
Although
the
supply
cost
of
old
newspapers
is
low
at
times,
it
also
can
be
quite
high
at
times,
making
the
viability
of
this
bedding
feedstock
somewhat
conditional.
Because
most
animal
bedding
sales
are
made
directly
between
the
producer
and
the
user,
the
costs
are
considered
wholesale
rather
than
retail.
The
purpose
of
animal
bedding
is
to
supply
an
absorbent
cushion
for
the
animal.
The
use
of
wood
waste
for
animal
bedding
poses
the
potential
concern
about
contaminants
not
fully
removed
from
the
wood
waste.
Another
concern
is
that
certain
wood
species
may
cause
severe
reactions
in
some
animals.
Best
Practice:
The potential use of wood waste for animal bedding
involves
the
sale
of
either
sawdust
or
wood
shavings
as
opposed
to
shredded
or
ground
material
originating
from
operations
like
hammer-mill
grinding.
The
production
of
a
sawdust
or
small
fines
from
shredded
wood
waste
can
be
used
in
animal
bedding. It usually involves double grinding the waste wood in wood hogs with an
air-conveying system, which helps
drop
out
the
oversized
and/or
tramp
contaminants.
The
use
of
several
stages
of
magnetic
recovery
systems
can
also
be
utilized
for
tramp
metal
recovery.
Implementation:
Animal bedding is used primarily as an absorbent
and
to
help
with
the
collection
and
removal
of
manure
and
urates
from
stalls
and
pens.
Wood
waste
has
been
used
for
litter
in
various
forms
including
planer
shavings,
chips,
sawdust
and
shredded
wood.
The
primary
characteristics
of
the
wood-waste
form
that
plays
a
role
in
its
potential
use
include
the
moisture
content,
size
and
quantity
of
non-wood
contaminants
in
the
bedding
material.
The
ability
to
absorb
liquids
is
the
key
characteristic
of
the
bedding
decision.
Kiln-dried
wood,
with
a
moisture
content
of
15%
or
less,
that
has
been
used
and
generates
residues
as
shavings
and
sawdust
provide
the
greatest
absorption
capability.
Freshly
cut
timber
that
my
have
up
to
a
50%
moisture
content,
has
minimum
additional
retention
or
absorption capability.
This
latter
material
may
also
cause
mold
and
mildew
to
form.
Animal
bedding
cannot
contain
additional
tramp
metals (such as nails, screws, etc.)
nor
can
it
contain
chemical
contaminants.
Some
animals,
such
as
poultry,
are
reported
to
obtain
4%
of
their
feed
from
eating
their
bedding
material.
Operators
of
livestock
facilities
are
interested
in
knowing
the
source
of
their
bedding
and
want
to
be
assured
that
it
is
produced
only
from
clean,
untreated
wood.
Several manufacturers
are
capable
of
providing
equipment
for
the
size-reduction
steps
needed
to
produce
animal
bedding.
However, wood-waste processors must conduct the appropriate
field
market
evaluation
to
understand
the
size,
shape,
and
quantities
that
the
regional
market
desires before investing in this equipment. Often, local
woodworking
operations
have
planing
and
sawdust
waste
as
a
business
byproduct. These businesses
are
in
a
good
competitive
position
and
do
not
need
additional
equipment
or
labor.
Also,
when
traditional
paper
market
prices
are
down,
the
waste
paper
suppliers
can
sell
to
and
expand
into
the
animal
bedding
business
as
a
buffer
market
outlet.
Waste
paper
is
periodically,
a
low
cost
competition
to
wood
waste
for
animal
bedding.
Benefits: The
possibility
of
adding
an
additional
market
outlet
for
processed
wood
waste
is
the
primary
benefit.
The
material
would
be
a
substitute
for
straw
or
other
more
expensive
wood-based
bedding
material
that
may
be
used.
However,
there
is
strong
competition
with
recycled
newspapers
in
this
marketplace,
especially
when
its
market
value
is
depressed.
This
situation
will
probably
continue
to
play
an
important
role
in
the
marketplace
as
paper
prices
fluctuate
with
world
demands.
Application Site: This
Best
Practice
applies
to
wood-waste
processing
facilities.
Contact: For
more
information
about
this
Best
Practice,
contact
CWC, (206)
443‑7746,
e-mail
info@cwc.org.
References:
1.
Carpenter,
Dr.
Gary
L.
American
Association
of
Equine
Practitioners,
Lexington.
KY.
2.
Wood,
Dr.
Mark.
Animal
Health
Institute,
VA.
3.
"Replacing
Nature's
Bedding."
Horse
Industry
Handbook.
American
Youth
Horse
Council,
Inc.
1993:
2
Pages.
4.
"Uses
for
Sawdust,
Shavings,
and
Wood
Chips,"
USDA
Forest
Service
Research
Note,
Forest
Products
Lab,
Madison,
WI.
November,
1969.
5.
Aaron,
J.R.
"Wood
Chips
As
Litter
For
Cattle
and
Poultry,"
Quarterly
Journal
of
Forestry,
59(2):
169-
172.
Issue Date / Update: March 1997
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