Stable litter

Miscanthus as stable litter is an application in which Miscanthus has added value par excellence. From the 3rd year after planting, Miscanthus has an annual tonnage of 12 - 16 tonnes/hectare of litter with a high absorption capacity. According to research, the absorption capacity is 3 times that of straw and double the absorption capacity of wood shavings (Mutton, 2012), resulting in a smaller volume of litter being required. The high absorbency of Miscanthus comes from the porous core of the stems.

An additional advantage of this porous core is its excellent ability to absorb nitrogen, thereby absorbing and neutralising ammonia (with its odour). The applicability for Miscanthus bedding is broad, e.g. the dusted variety can be used for horses but can also be used directly as bedding for poultry or cows.

Incidentally, how Miscanthus litter compares to wood shavings and straw has also been studied (B. Rauscher, I. Lewandowsk - Perennial Biomass Crops for a Resource Constrained World). This was based on a test set-up in a barn. In particular, this comparison focused on time consumption, cost and ammonia and water absorption capacity. The study showed that the amount of litter and time was lowest for Miscanthus thanks to its high absorption capacity. We would like to challenge you to put this sustainable litter to the test yourself.