Nationwide shortage on Pine Shaving!

[RJRMINIS]

Well I went to buy stock up on shavings for foaling season.....and was informed there is a Nation-wide shortage on Pine Shaving!!!!!!!!!! :new_shocked: Orscheln's and TSC have no idea when they will get some more in, possibly not until April. Well I have straw bales, but I like to use a layer of shavings under my straw.

Has anyone used Cedar shavings? They are double the price, and I am not sure if the cedar would be ok around a newborn foal.

 

[Frankie]

My TSC store has been telling me this for months,,about 3,,,but, they can still get Equine Fresh,,,,,,so I am sticking with that. We are in a big thaw right now, and the Equine Fresh is so needed.

 

[FoRebel]

IMO, I wouldn't use cedar.... I've had too many horses have allergic reactions! JMHO! Aspen works too, if you can find it.

 

[RJRMINIS]

Has anyone tried WOODY PET?

http://www.equinetourism.co.uk/equinesuppliers/woodypet.htm

I am just concerned as it will be used for mares foaling, in the stall, I usually use the shavings and cover them with straw. But this is suppose to be dust free.

Equine Fresh, I haven't heard of, I don't think our local TSC carries it, I will have to check.

 

[targetsmom]

No foals here yet but I have used Woody Pet for the minis and just love it! It breaks down into sawdust-like material once it gets wet. There are also other brands of this type of bedding that basically looks like pellets (various sizes) and breaks down and becomes very absorbent when wet. But be forewarned that there is also a shortage of these products because the same raw materials are used to make the pellets for pellet stoves (which you don't want). Some people wet the pellets before use, which is probably a good idea because otherwise they look similar to small wood-like ball bearings!

 

[lovinarabs]

Well, that explains why I could only find aspen shavings at Fleet yesterday. They smelled really good though when I opened the bag and seem to be working fine. I haven't been able to find woody pet, but maybe I am looking in the wrong place?

 

[Fred]

I used to use Woody Pet. However, you might want to know it gets VERY DUSTY. That was the reason I stopped. I was afraid it would cause breathing problems with the babies. I did use it under the shavings and it isn't quite so dusty but I just didn't dare use it with the babies. Linda B

 

[wildoak]

Equine Fresh is the brand name that TSC now carries, same thing as Woody Pet but bag is 5 lbs heavier for usually the same money. Our TSC has had trouble getting/keeping Equine Fresh, everything is in major demand right now. I've used Woody Pet or the equivalent for awhile now and like it. It does tend to get dusty in the summer here when the weather is hot and dry, but I just sprinkle it down more often. I've had no problem with dust through the winter. When you first bed a stall with it wet it down, as the dry pellets tend to be very slippery - as my husband can attest, like little ball bearings. :bgrin After you get a base of sawdust, it's easy to add a bag or two into the mix.

Jan

 

[SHANA]

During foaling season I use hay for bedding, have done so for years, works great, not as stiff as straw. Right now I bed with shavings which I get from the local saw mill. I have to order it about 2 weeks before I need it so that they save me a load. It sells quite fast.

 

[Fred]

Maybe its the area I'm in but let me tell you I DID wet it down thoroughly and I am still cleaning dust out of my barn and that was from last winter! We now use it when it is very muddy in the paddock [like swamp] and that is the only time its not dusty. Linda B

 

[justagirl]

HHHMMMM ~ seems to me only TSC is experiencing this "shortage"... the store where I work has had no problems what-so-ever getting pine shavings, neither has the local feed store I go to.

But I stopped in a TSC since I needed a few bags and it was Sunday and everyone else was closed, the associate informed me they where having trouble finding a supplier.

So try your local non-franchise feed / farm supply or even a pet supply store. Good Luck.

 

[Boinky]

you know i seriously fear very soon we'll have a permanent shortage in the next 10 years (probably sooner)! If you look at the land around here it's been over harvested. We are a major wood harvesting state and it's getting pretty bare!

 

[ownedbyapony]

We are having the same problem here The only shavings available are poor quality and 6 dollars a bag. We have also gone with Equine Fresh and so far I really like it. It was expensive to get started but I think will even out in the long run. Don't know about you but feed prices are also going through the roof. Increased corn prices due to ethanol production has caused us pains with all the animals we feed. Projections are also saying hay and straw prices will rise due to farmers using hay/wheat fields to produce more high dollar corn. Can't wait to see what the summer months bring ! :new_shocked: :new_shocked:

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

I posted something about TSC not having shavings a month or so ago. They are currenlty out again in Cookeville and are hoping to have some in first of March. I decided to go to the local mill and get some shavings. And I am very happy with them so far, dry, clean, fluffy and only $30 a truck load full. And yes I did ask about what type of trees they were cutting. Most of the lumber used on our house was purchased from this mill. Also, some of the local co-ops are also out of shavings.

For foaling I just use hay as it is cheaper than straw here.

 

[Charlotte]

We can get shavings here...not at TSC, they are out here too.....but what we are getting is changing in quality and price all the time.

I have gone to the cardboard bedding for foaling and I think I like it better than anything I've ever used. It is more pricey, but by the time baby is a couple of weeks old I'm switching back to shavings.

I would be concerned with the very small particles of Woody Pet.

Charlotte

 

[CRERS]

I hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying this, but we haven't had a shortage of shavings here (knocking on wood!). We have two feed stores and The Mill close by and both have plenty of shavings. Our shavings are $5.50 a bag.

We also have a sawmill that keeps sawdust just for horse users to buy and they're looking good supply wise as well.

Hopefully the shavings issue will be cleared up soon. I've tried so many other types of bedding and always ended up back with shavings - I don't know what I would do if I couldn't get any!

The first time I ever tried to use straw, my gelding went to walk into his stall and looked like something from his new bedding was trying to attack him, lol....he was backing up, snorting and afraid to take another step! It was pretty funny - he got over it quickly enough, but whew, straw is HARD to muck and keep clean!

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I used those pellets that you moisten and they swell up and break into in particles - once. But I became afraid the horses would eat them and they'd swell inside their tummies. Anyone else concerned about that?

 

[Shari]

Getting really silly here....because we have dozens of wood mills shipping the stuff to China and Japan. :ugh:

 

[Robin1]

There has been such a problem here that if the feed stores get any in they are sold right away. It doesn't help that Kentucky Comfort went out of business (or is going out of business).

I use shavings/grindings until the foal is born. While mom and baby are getting acquanted I remove the wet bedding and put down a thick amount of grass hay. It is nice and comfy and mom can snack if she likes.

:

Robin

 

[kaykay]

tsc told me a month ago or so that is isnt a shortage its a trucking problem. I only buy tsc when i cant get to the feed store to get the shavings i like better (tsc's are always dusty) the feed store i use says there is no shortage