New at McCaskie: Bodens Kiln-Dried Cubicle Bedding
Ayrshire dairy herds are bringing cows in through October after a run of wet, windy weather through September, and suckler cows on the higher ground around Lanark will follow once the fields give up. From the first night in, the cubicle bedding has one job: keep udders and hocks dry.
Concrete and a mattress can’t do that on their own. Urine, muck and milk from freshly calved cows soak into whatever is on the bed, and damp bedding is where mastitis bacteria multiply.
Bodens Grade One Kiln-Dried Sawdust
Bodens Cubicle Bedding is a Grade One kiln-dried sawdust, sold at McCaskie by the bale, the pallet or the bulk load.
Bodens describe it as a super-fine, non-abrasive sawdust made in the UK, fine enough to use sparingly on cubicle mats and mattresses and, in larger volumes, as a deep-litter bed.
Bodens Cubicle Bedding
| Grade | Bodens Grade One sawdust, kiln-dried |
|---|---|
| Consistency | Super-fine and non-abrasive, as described by Bodens |
| Bale | Approx. 20kg |
| Pallet | 66 bales |
| Bulk load | Available on request |
| Suits | Cubicle mats and mattresses; deep litter in larger volumes |
| Origin | Manufactured in the UK |
Why Kiln-Dried Sawdust Keeps a Bed Drier
A cubicle bed stays dry when the bedding takes moisture away from the cow faster than the cow adds it. Kiln drying removes moisture before the sawdust reaches the shed, so every bale of Bodens Cubicle Bedding arrives with its absorbency intact rather than part-used.
AHDB’s guidance on bedding and environmental mastitis is plain: bacteria multiply faster in damp, warm conditions, every bedding material should be kept as dry as possible, and poor-quality sawdust can carry Klebsiella.
The dryness does the work, not the wood.
The counter-intuitive part is that sawdust is organic, so once it is wet and soiled it feeds bacteria as readily as straw. That is why a light dusting after every scrape beats a thick layer that has sat wet since Monday. A fine, non-abrasive grade also cuts friction between hock and mat, one of the reasons AHDB gives for bedding still being needed on a mattress.
How Do You Keep Cubicle Beds Dry Through the Winter?
Scrape the back third of every bed at each milking, dust fresh dry sawdust on straight after, and judge dryness with your knees rather than your eyes. That routine matters more than any product on its own.
Before Housing
Wash the beds and mats, disinfect with a DEFRA-listed product such as Downland Blitz, and let the shed dry out properly before the first cow lies down.
At Every Milking
Scrape muck and wet material off the back of each bed while the cows are out.
Straight After Scraping
A light, even dusting of Bodens Cubicle Bedding across the rear of the bed where the udder lies. Little and often, not a heap once a week.
The Wet-Knee Test
Kneel on a bed for 10 to 30 seconds in clean overalls, as AHDB suggests. Wet knees mean the bed isn’t dry enough.
Fresh Calvers First
Milk leaking onto the bed feeds bacteria, so bed and check those cubicles before the rest.
The Wettest Beds
A hygiene powder such as Staldren can go on alongside the sawdust. Follow the label.
Storage
Keep bales under cover and off a wet floor. A bale that has drunk rain has already spent some of its absorbency.
Deep Litter, Loose Yards and Calf Pens
Bodens say the same Grade One sawdust works in larger volumes as a deep-litter bed, so it suits loose yards as well as cubicles. Where a flake suits better than a dust, for calf pens and young stock, Stockmax pine shavings are also in the McCaskie range.
Housing autumn calvers? Our article on dry-cow minerals and milk fever covers the other half of the housing checklist.
Where to Buy Cubicle Bedding in Central Scotland
Bodens Cubicle Bedding is sold in approx. 20kg bales at the counter in Ayr, Kinross, Lanark & Stirling. Pallets and bulk loads are ordered through the store or your local field rep and delivered anywhere the 18-tonne lorry can reach; a charge may apply. Local delivery of smaller orders runs from Ayr, Kinross and Lanark; Stirling handles larger loads only.
There are SQPs in every store if the housing conversation turns to dry-cow tubes, pneumonia vaccines or fluke. McCaskie has supplied Scottish farms since 1957, three generations of the Rettie family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sawdust or straw better for cubicle beds?
AHDB advises against bedding lactating cows on damp straw, which it lists as a major mastitis risk. Fine, kiln-dried sawdust suits mats and mattresses where straw will not stay put, but whichever you use, keeping it dry and scraping the beds matters more than the material.
Can I use lime or a hygiene powder with sawdust in cubicles?
Yes, many herds put a hygiene powder on the wettest beds alongside sawdust. McCaskie stocks Staldren hygiene powder, a drying agent, for that job. Follow the label for how much to use, and ask at the counter if you are unsure which product suits your beds.
Can I buy Bodens cubicle bedding by the pallet or in bulk?
Yes. Bales are sold over the counter at Ayr, Kinross, Lanark & Stirling, and full pallets or bulk loads can be ordered through the store or your local McCaskie rep for delivery anywhere the lorry can reach. A delivery charge may apply.