Bedding in Livestock Farming: Identification, Testing, and Evaluation of Techniques for Better Managing Bedding with Less Material

This study responds to growing concerns over the supply and cost of woodchip and straw bedding in Brittany and Pays-de-la-Loire pig and poultry farms. It identifies, tests, and evaluates promising methods—such as biological additives, alternative fibers (e.g., miscanthus), concrete poultry-house floors, and adjusted straw quantities with increased replenishment frequency—to reduce bedding consumption. Four action streams combined literature review, field surveys, environmental and welfare impact assessments, and on-farm trials. Key results were compiled into two practical guides: one on pig housing and the other on efficient poultry bedding management, offering breeders concrete solutions to optimize bedding use.