Horse hair coat cleanliness is affected by bedding material: A comparison of clean and used wheat straw, wood shavings and pelleted newspaper

Wheat straw, wood shavings and pelleted recycled newspaper were used as bedding materials and compared in maintaining horse hair coat cleanliness. Each material was sampled prior to use and after use having been wetted with urine in a bedding study conducted with 4 adult horses in box stalls. Because feces were removed daily during stall maintenance, frehhly voided feces were also collected so that all components in a used bedding (clean portion, wetted portion, feces) were represented. Hair coat cleanli-ness was measured in vitro by exposing a tanned pony hide with hair to clean and wet beddings as well as feces. Cleanliness was evaluated in terms of the amounts of moisture, volatile-N and solid matter transferred from each component and type of bedding material to the haired hide. Transfers to wool flannel were also measured as a comparison to the haired hide. Woolen products are used in the horse industry and also come into contact with components of used bedding. Freshly voided feces and used beddings transferred more (P<.05) moisture (85 and 54%, respectively) than clean beddings. Wheat straw transferred less (P<.05) solid matter (86 and 64%, respectively) than wood shavings or pelleted newspaper. Wood shavings transferred more (P<.05) solid matter than wheat straw or pelleted newspaper to wool flannel resulting in a statistically significant used bedding X surface interaction. These data indicate that type as well as components of used beddings affect hair coat cleanliness. The ability of a bedding material to maintain hair coat cleanliness should also be a factor (e.g., cost, availability, moisture holding capacity, nontoxicity) in its consideration for use as a bedding for animals.