Calves need to be bedded enough that they have a fairly dry place to lie down. Too little bedding will keep them from staying warm and clean. Too much bedding wastes straw and fills the floor of the pen too quickly.

Calf hutches should be bedded 1-3 times per week as needed. Young calves should always be bedded with straw. Older calves (weaned) can be alternated between straw and sawdust.

Cut a bale open in front of the hutches. Put 1-3 slices of straw in each hutch, placing it in the center of the back 2/3rds of the hutch. The calves will naturally spread it to the rest of the hutch.

To bed with sawdust, bring the skid loader with sawdust in between the hutches. Shovel sawdust as needed into the hutches.

Calf barn should be bedded 1-3 times per week as needed. It is most efficient to bed with 3 bales. 1 in the small pen, and 2 in the large pen. Often the bales can be thrown over the feed bunk in such a way that entering the pen is not necessary.