Calves spend a large part of each day lying down or moving through their bedding. When that bedding becomes wet, compacted, or high in ammonia, it creates an environment where pathogens thrive. Moisture, odour, and bacteria quickly build up, especially during wet seasons or when labour is stretched thin. The result? Higher disease pressure, more scours, more treatments, and uneven growth rates.
For many farmers, keeping bedding dry and hygienic can feel like a constant battle – one that demands time, labour, and repeated bedding top ups.
A practical new approach to a persistent problem
Recognising these on-farm challenges, a new bedding management innovation has been developed to support calf comfort, health, and overall shed hygiene.
EazyBed® Dry is designed to complement existing calf rearing systems by improving bedding conditions with less labour and fewer interventions. Rather than relying on chemical spray intervention or constant bedding replacement, it uses biological tools to work with the bedding environment.
How it works
EazyBed® Dry combines beneficial bacteria and cellulolytic enzymes to steer bedding toward a positive fermentation process. This helps keep bedding up to 30% drier, reduce ammonia levels by up to 50%, and slow the growth and spread of harmful microbes.
Selected strains such as Bacillus velezensis and Pediococcus sp. form a healthy biofilm on bedding surfaces. This creates an unfavourable environment for pathogens, while enzymes help break down fibrous bedding material to prevent crusting and encourage better aeration.
Supporting better calf health
By reducing moisture and pathogen load, farmers can expect healthier calves with fewer cases of contagious scours, more consistent early life growth, fewer treatments and bedding that lasts longer and is easier to manage.
The product is calf safe, requires no withholding period, and can be applied while calves are in the pen. Farmers simply apply 100g per calf at pre-bedding, post-bedding, and then weekly for maintenance (apply 24 hours after any disinfectant).
A simple tool for modern kiwi farming conditions
New Zealand farmers deal with highly variable weather, shifting temperatures and significant pressure on labour each calving season. EazyBed® Dry offers a way to maintain bedding quality despite those challenges – helping create a drier, cleaner, more comfortable environment from day one.
Talk to your local TSR or visit a Farm Source store to learn more about this approach to improving bedding conditions and supporting calf health.
