About DryNest Bedding

Value: Because of Larry Kraay's strong belief in quality, he has expended much effort to find sources of raw material which will yield the highest quality bedding material available today. While many shavings companies choose their raw material based on volumes available, geographic locations, and price. DryNest focuses on shavings that perform best and are most cost effective for the equine market. When convenience and labor efficiency numbers are included, DryNest is the best value.

Compression: A typical DryNest customer uses 1 1/2 to 2 bales per stall- most other bales are used at 4 to 6 bales per stall. The higher volume DryNest bale is priced more competitively when compared to smaller bales (less $ per cubic foot). One customer remarked that "DryNest bales are like popcorn"- coming back to the stall after bedding it the night before, the shavings had relaxed and expanded even more overnight. DryNest's shavings expand as they relax after being compressed in the bale. Coarser material which typically carries more moisture and fines does not have this expansive quality so more bales are needed per stall. Coarser flake shavings are also ineffective for absorbing urine.

Compare: When comparing bedding products, weight and volume are inversely proportional. There are 3.5 cubic foot compressed bales which weigh 55 pounds and expand to only 7 cubic feet in fluffed volume, and there are 3.5 cubic foot bales weighing 30 pounds which expand to 10 or more cubic feet in volume. Expanded volume is the crucial variable because it determines how many bales are needed to bed a stall. The volume-weight disparity is a function of the percentage of fines, the loft and refinement of the flake, and the moisture content. We feel that the ideal bedding has great loft, enough fines for optimum absorption without dust, and less than 8% moisture.

Breakdown: DryNest's shavings are resilient and remarkably resistant to breakdown. Bedding that breaks down quickly will become dusty and lose all loft and volume. DryNest shavings make a healthful and comfortable bed, as well as provide an ideal medium for extracting manure and urine soaked spots. Due to their resiliency, they typically last twice as long in a stall as most other bedding products and provide a longer lasting cushion for the animal. The shavings are sized so that they sift easily through a manure rake allowing only manure to be removed and not clean shavings. Wet spots can easily be removed (the wet shavings clump like kitty litter), and are so absorbent that there will never be any puddling under the bedding. DryNest shavings absorb more liquid as they are less than 8% moisture and can hold more than four times their weight in liquid.

Consistency: Unlike many of our competitors, DryNest sources material from industries where only finished kiln-dried pine is processed and the source is always consistent. Our shavings are never exposed to outside variables or contaminants, and is guaranteed to contain less than 8% moisture. Our competitors typically draw their raw material from distant locations and must accept moisture contents and contaminants introduced by the bulk storage, loading, and trucking of their material.

Appearance: The bright white color of DryNest's shavings add a lightness to any facility creating a sanitary, clean environment. The natural pine scent of the shavings is synonymous with cleanliness and all but eliminates barn odors.