Adequate bedding is a fundamental welfare requirement for cattle, pigs, and sheep; bedding quality affects lying comfort, cleanliness, thermoregulation, and injury risk.
Key Facts
Cows prefer lying on deep bedding and will choose it over concrete given a choice
Hock lesion prevalence correlates directly with bedding depth and quality in dairy herds
Piglets on bare concrete lose heat rapidly and show elevated mortality compared to bedded systems
Sheep in deep litter systems show lower respiratory disease prevalence than those on bare concrete
Welfare Considerations
Bedding is not a comfort luxury but a welfare requirement with measurable health consequences. Insufficient bedding on hard floors causes contact injuries at pressure points — hock lesions in cows, sternal bursae in pigs — and reduces lying time as animals avoid discomfort. Thermal insulation from bedding is critical for neonates and for adult animals in cold conditions. The welfare case for adequate bedding is strong and the costs of provision are modest relative to the welfare and production benefits.
What You Can Do
Support assurance schemes with minimum bedding quality requirements
Advocate for bedding provision standards in all housed livestock welfare legislation
Raise awareness that bedding quality is a measurable welfare indicator, not merely a comfort preference