This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Horse Pasture, Fencing, Barns » Bedding, Flooring, and Footing for Horses »
  Discussion on New type of bedding
Author Message
Member:
Nightwin

Posted on Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 - 5:04 pm:

I am going to try a new product from Nafcore. It's a pelletized bedding made from a plant called kenaf, grown in eastern N.C. It sounds very good on paper. Has anyone tried it? Pros and cons? Thanks.
Member:
Cowgrl

Posted on Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 - 5:32 pm:

I've been using pelletized bedding for a while now and like it very much. It's not the same brand as what you're going to use but probably performs the same. I use the regular pellet fuel for stoves and it's a fraction of the price I was paying for bagged shavings. With shavings, I would go through 4 bags a week @$5.00 a bag x 16 bags a month = $80 a month. Pellets cost $2.50 a bag x 4 = $10 a month. Big difference.

More pros are it's not dusty at first, absorbs very well, lasts a long time, and makes stall cleaning a breeze. The cons are once the pellets break down they do become somewhat dusty, the wet pellets are very heavy to remove, and it doesn't have the nice cedar smell that shavings do. You're supposed to wet them down slightly to get them to break down so it fluffs up to a comfy bed. I can bed my 12 x 12 stall with 4 bags and it lasts a month with daily cleaning.

I'm completely sold and lots of people I know have switched to pellet bedding. It works best too if you have mats on the floor already.

Holly
Member:
Nightwin

Posted on Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 - 7:23 pm:

Holly: A small-scale study compared kenaf with wood pellets, wood shaving, and straw and found that kenaf lasted much longer, was more absorbent, and less dusty than wood products. I'll let you know. What I like about this product, other than the obvious, is that this plant is being grown in areas where tobacco used to be king, which could really help a depressed economy in this part of the country. Thanks, Wendy
Member:
Dyduroc

Posted on Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 - 8:23 pm:

Wendy, is the kenaf plant a hemp plant? Is there any information available on how well it composts when compared to straw, wook pellets, wood shavings, etc.?

dyd
Member:
Terrilyn

Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 8:25 am:

Wendy, just curious....where are you located? I'm in Gloucester County, VA....close enough to eastern NC (2 hours) to be able to find someone who sells this product. I could use substitute Holly's formula for the shavings (above) for my own...that's about what I spend, and I'm always interested in alternatives that are better and less expensive...and helping a depressed economy is also compelling! My parents are both from small eastern NC towns. Where in NC is this made? Thanks!
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 9:05 am:

Holly, I use the stove pellets also, but mix them with shavings. They shavings last a lot longer. I also use them alone in my "outside" stalls, which are basically weather shelters where horses go in and out. The wind just blows shavings away.
Member:
Terrilyn

Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 1:57 pm:

Wendy--one other question. How much are these per bag?
Member:
Nightwin

Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 5:43 pm:

The plant is not described as hemp. The website, partially developed, is www.greenenaturalfibers.com. Terri, I am in northern Suffolk, close by. Kenaf is grown in Greene and Pitt counties. You can call Ivey Smith at (c) 252-714-9581. He can attach a copy of a study Nafcore sponsored. I don't have a cost yet, but was told by a potential distributor that it is cheaper than shavings in the long run. I am preparing a stall in my new 20-stall barn to trial it. Wendy
Member:
Nightwin

Posted on Friday, Jun 18, 2004 - 5:55 pm:

I have more info re kenaf. It is an annual plant related to cotton and okra, harvested like hay. Cost is approx.$7.00 a bag, depending upon volume purchased. You need 3-4 bags initally. The kenaf study does discuss composting kenaf compared to shavings and straw.
Member:
Dyduroc

Posted on Saturday, Jun 19, 2004 - 7:11 pm:

Thanks, Wendy. I've sent for information. Really appreciate your posting this info.

dyd
Member:
Terrilyn

Posted on Monday, Jun 21, 2004 - 9:13 am:

I called the manufacturer and talked to them on Friday to determine if there were any distributors locally (most seem to be farther north in New England area), and there are not (and you can only pick up a full load from the manufacturer--24 pallets!) They gave me a list of prices for delivery, and like Wendy says, it depends on how much you order. The company considers $5.75 a bag the wholesale price, and to this, they add cost of shipping. For this area, (for Wendy and I anyway) it would cost (at 36 bags per pallet):

1 pallet $8.36/bag
2 pallets $7.76/bag
3 pallets $7.56/bag
5 pallets $7.35/bag
full load, 24 pallets, $6.24/bag

Bags weigh @ 25 lbs, and contain 2.8 cu ft. compressed. Suzanne in Nafcore's headquarters said about half the amount of Nafcore is needed compared to shavings, and she stated that most people bed a stall (we did not discuss dimensions) with 4-6 bags initially, and then only about a bag per week is needed to replace what is removed. I am not sure how often the stall needs to be COMPLETELY stripped...however, if it is once a month, then you're looking at about 8-10 bags per month...the benefits to this product are very tempting...looks like less labor involved, not as much smell, lighter to move around, and it's actually better to let the urine form cakes before removal which means you don't have to get in and clean it up right away...and of course, usage will depend on your preferences and how often your horses are in (and customers' feedback on how much they use varies widely) She did say that it was important to bed a stall deeply (at least 2-3") with the first application. Without depth, the absorbency won't be as great.

I can't seem to get the cost down to less than what I spend on shavings because of the amount of shipping added. However, Wendy, if you are interested in ordering some, I have the name of another person in Virginia that Nafcore sent me this morning who would like to split a load. Sounds like it is worth a try. If three of us were to order a pallet each, we could get it down to $7.56 a bag. (Currently paying $5 for a bag of shavings...)
Member:
Cowgrl

Posted on Monday, Jun 21, 2004 - 10:25 am:

At $8.00 a bag, and a small bag at that, I think I'll deal with the dust of the wood pellets. Our horses have stalls attached to their paddock so they're not trapped inside a dust bowl. I have a pellet stove and use them anyway for heating. I can buy a ton for $189.00 and that lasts a good long time. The bags weigh 40 lbs and one bag costs around $2-$3 per.
Member:
Sparky

Posted on Monday, Jun 21, 2004 - 7:48 pm:

https://www.magnumhorseproducts.com/choices/index.html
For those of you using wood pellets here is a site that shows the contents of the wood pellets with regard to hardwood and softwood pellets and the toxicity. Just something to think about.
Hope this helps
Janet
Member:
Nightwin

Posted on Monday, Jun 21, 2004 - 10:25 pm:

Terri: I just had a barn built by Barnmaster, and the local distributor of Barnmaster told me he was considering becoming a local distributor for Nafcore. He lives just outside of Richmond. I will call him and see where he is with that and how that might affect the cost, and then get back with you. If he is no longer interested, I am interested in joining you in an order. Thanks, Wendy


Member:
Terrilyn

Posted on Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 - 11:03 am:

Hello all--
I got an email from Nafcore this morning with a better price on delivery...they'll ship 240 bags to my location in VA for $6.25 per bag...this is the dealer price of $5.75 and .50 shipping per bag. Wendy, I have one person in Mineral (near Culpeper/Orange I believe) who wants some. Have you gotten any info from your Barnmaster contact? Are these folks I'm talking to in Mineral possibly the same? Olde Towne Farm?
Member:
Nightwin

Posted on Friday, Jun 25, 2004 - 7:05 pm:

Terri: Barnmaster guy quoted me $7.50 a bag. When I told him he'd have to beat your quote, he left a message saying his original quote was subject, of course, to amount ordered. I think I will deal directly with Nafcore for now. Since we are just starting to finish off stalls and are a month away from inhabiting them, I quess I'll have to wait to hear from you as to how you like kenaf. By the way, are you using a particular stall-mat system?
Member:
Nightwin

Posted on Saturday, Jun 26, 2004 - 6:07 pm:

Terri, I'll be away from internet for the next 2 weeks, and hope I can catch up with you when I return to civilization.
Member:
Terrilyn

Posted on Monday, Jun 28, 2004 - 9:48 am:

Wendy--
I learned over the weekend that the local "pony rides" man here in Gloucester County will be distributing it. Funny, when I talked to them at Nafcore, they did not mention him at all. But over the weekend, I was talking with the manager for the pony rides and she just brought it up out of the blue! That her boss would be a distributor starting next week! So because his barn is located less than 10 miles from mine, it would be kind of silly for us both to do it, so I am going to opt out of distributorship at this time. I am just peeved because now I'll have to pay retail price and I'm sure that will be close to the $7.50 you were quoted!!
HOWEVER, the pony ride people have tried this stuff in several stalls and according to Kathy, the manager, it is a miracle sent straight from horse heaven. They were given 40 bags at the Virginia Equine Extravaganza to "try out." She could not say enough good things about it. The usage truly is MUCH LESS than shavings and she bedded 10x10 stalls with just two bags. It does everything it says it does, "and more."

So good luck, everyone who decides to try it. I understand it is well worth it. And Wendy, if you decide at some point you'd still like to split an order, we can talk about it again...I see no reason why I couldn't order the truckload for myself and whoever else wants it at the lower price. I just won't be planning to sell it out of my barn.

Member:
Nightwin

Posted on Sunday, Jul 11, 2004 - 9:57 pm:

Hi Terri: I just talked to the local Barnmaster distributor re our conversation. He is concerned that Nafcore is allowing more distributorships than is appropriate, but regardless, I am trying the product as soon as we get the stalls ready. Let me know how you like it! I'll contact you re prices, etc., as I get more info. Thanks!
Member:
Terrilyn

Posted on Monday, Jul 12, 2004 - 8:39 am:

Hi Wendy--They are getting their first shipment this week. I'll post here when I've had a chance to try it out.
New Member:
Advisor

Posted on Monday, Nov 1, 2004 - 12:58 pm:

i forgot to add that kenaf is virtually dustless and doesn't blow away. a huge added bonus is that it's light a a feather. so you can go pick some up and carry it with bulk but with very little weight.
Member:
Nightwin

Posted on Monday, Nov 1, 2004 - 4:01 pm:

I have been using Nafore (kenaf) for a month now for 5 stalled horses and we are pleased with it. The bags go a long way...it takes about 1 and 1/2 to bed a 12by12 stall. Horses are not interested in eating it because they have plenty of hay to munch on at night. Our compost pile, without aerating it (which I intend to do in future) was steaming in this 50-60 degree weather. Was anyone given the instruction when they first got it to lightly water it down when adding it to a stall? I've been given conflicting advice. We stopped misting it and think it does a better job of absorbing urine.
New Member:
Pgoodwin

Posted on Monday, Dec 20, 2004 - 8:15 pm:

I am not sure if anyone is interested but I have been using a new type of bedding for my horse that has COPD. It's called airlite animal bedding. Its a dust free bedding made from corrugated cardboard. It's four times absorbent than other bedding and is easy to compost. They come in 40lb bales. I have a 9x12 stall and two bales cover with a nice thickness. I clean it daily and it last in my stall for about 3 to 4 week. Here is the website https://www.airlite.us
New Member:
starlett

Posted on Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 - 7:58 pm:

Wondering if anyone has more discussion on stall bedding since the prices of stove pellets are going up in price. Has anyone used a product made from corn cobs. Any other ideas?
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC