User:Tadair4/sandbox

This is my user Sandbox page. I am learning how to use Wikipedia.

Connie and I plan on adding to the animal bedding stub. We plan to contribute bedding types, what organic compounds they come from, what animals benefit from bedding, and the advantages of bedding. This is a form of animal science that would benefit agriculturalist, psychologists, and biologist.

Animal bedding is used by rodents, goat, sheep, pigs, cattle, poultry, horses, ferrets, and other domesticated animals.

Types of Bedding

Wood shavings (pine, cedar, and aspen) are absorbent and have good odor control. Different textures such as fine cut, soft shreds, or thick cut are used for different animals. Wood shavings can be dusty and contain aromatic oils that can cause respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary tract, skin disorders and other health problems in some animals. Aspen and kiln-dried wood shavings tend to be less dusty. And with kiln-dried wood shavings, the oils are removed.

Corncob bedding contains no aromatic oils or dust. Corncobs are heat dried which makes it very absorbent. When water or urine is absorbed, the corncob will start molding so daily cleaning is needed, if not bacterial infections are likely to occur. Corncobs are cut but  easy to ingest and dangerous if ingested by a small animal.  

Paper bedding includes recycled paper or cardboard boxes. Paper bedding is ideal for animals with allergies since it contains no oils and little dust. It also has no adverse effects with consumption. Paper is very absorbent, but when saturated with water or urine it has a strong odor.

Straw is a soft, dry stalks containing small grains such as barley, oats, rice, rye, and wheat. It is easy to handle and available in most agricultural areas. It is important to make sure that the straw is not palatable. To do this you must make sure that the seed is not available for consumption. Straw has excellent absorbency and is unlikely to mold.

Hay is cut and dried grasses. Hay is most commonly used for feed, but it is also used for bedding purposes. This may result in an insufficient diet for the animal if it begins eating its bedding. In addition, old hay may give off dust that could result in respiratory problems. Hay is one of the more expensive beddings. It is quite absorbent but once it is soiled, it begins to decompose quickly producing an odor. Because of the moisture, hay will mold quickly and could result in a bacterial infection.

Wood chips are a mixture of bark, sawdust, and post peelings. Agriculturalist use wood chips as a cost efficient bedding. However, it provides minimal comfort and absorbency. Wood chips generate mold and mildew, because of its highly damp environment. This causes bacterial growth and potential infection if not changed often. Wood chips are also known to stain the coat of animals from bedding in the moist chips.

Sawdust must be kiln‐dried to ensure cleanliness and absorbency. Sawdust ensures quick and easy cleaning, because of the soiled or wet material clump together.  Although the cleanup is easier, sawdust is known to cause or create a lot of health problems such as respiratory, urinary tract, mastitis, and skin disorders.  

Sand is ideal when looking at microbial growth. Sand is the most comfortable bedding because of its natural ability to form to the animals curvature. Large sand particles can cause abrasions and bruising on an animal. Another downfall is sand is not very absorbent and causes a difficult clean up of soiled materials.   

Benefits of Bedding

Many animals benefit from bedding, including but not limited to horses, cattle, poultry, goats, sheep, pigs, mice, rabbits, hamsters, snakes, pogona, and lizards. Bedding in the most simplest context provides a sufficient amount of comfort for these animals. When constructed properly, these cushioned structures decrease irritability and rough textures that can cause pain, pressure, and stress on the subject. This also prevents bruising and sores to preserve the physical beauty of the animal.

Bedding also creates an environment of moisture retention. Although incapable to prevent all microbial activity, bedding absorbs a substantial amount of moisture within the animal’s living environment. Soaking up excess urine, bedding assists in keeping the cage dry until the next change. A drier cage also promotes ventilation which  decreases harmful levels of environmental pathogens.

These factors are few of many. With insulation against cold weather and drafts amongst the list, odor control sustains a position as well. Assistance in decreasing and filtering dust to protect against respiratory infections ranks high. Creating an environment conducive for thermoregulation and chemical resistance, along with simple privacy, bedding is ideal for many animal types. All these factors relay a decreases in stress and pain encouraging peaceful resting opportunities that intern increase the overall life, productivity, and well being of the animal.

Maintenance of Bedding

Bedding maintenance is an important part of both human and animal health, cleanliness, and well being. Storage of bedding is important to insure that the bedding does not ruin. The best place to store it is in an environment that is dry and above ground level. Frequent bedding change is important to decrease the amount of bacteria. The most bacterial contaminated area is the front of the stall. This area should receive the most attention when cleaning and changing the bedding. Bedding should not be throughout the stall, it should be clear of the feeding and watering trough. It is recommended that the bedding is more frequently changed when there are a great number of animals, since the bedding will become contaminated faster.  

It is important to note that weather, frequent bedding maintenance, barn design, ventilation, and stall management influence bacteria levels. When one or several of these things change or are not met the susceptibility of illness significantly increases. These illnesses are potentially deadly to these animals and that is why the maintenance of bedding is so important.