Academi lands sole Irish distribution of 100% biodegradable Green Mile

Academi CEO Mark Cadam explains the many reasons Aidan O’Brien and other top trainers are using Green Mile cardboard bedding.

ACADEMI Animal Bedding is one of Ireland’s most trusted bedding companies. Their newest addition to the range is Green Mile cardboard bedding, which the Co Longford business now supplies to top-level clients including Aidan O’Brien and Gordon Elliott.

According to Academi CEO Mark Cadam, the benefits of Green Mile cardboard bedding includes robust scientific testing, which has been carried out by researcher Susan Raymond of the Equine Research Centre in Guelph, Canada.

Raymond compared straw, shavings and paper litter. She also used shredded paper in her bedding absorbency test. Horse manure (300ml), urine (300ml), general soiled material, shredded paper and newspaper were used. Absorbing capacity of straw (100ml/55ml), shavings (100ml/280ml) and peat moss (300ml/600ml) was compared.

Raymond’s findings are striking, with Green Mile cardboard bedding having more than double that of straw. Shavings are less absorbent and get stuck in horse manes, tails and hooves.

Cadam said: “Green Mile Bedding has a high level of horse owners and trainers find it beneficial for horses’ nose because it is dust-free. Our bedding can be used effectively and safely with horses with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The natural oils found in wood pulp can dramatically reduce the amount of ammonia, which builds up in stables. That’s good for the horses and for human health too.

100% biodegradable

This uniquely designed cardboard bedding is also 100% biodegradable, which for many management is a concern for many.

“Some today are disposed of as farmyard waste. In fact landscapers have said they would happily take away the heap for free. Some farmers charge to remove manure nowadays because of the fact muck heaps no longer consist of wood shavings as the compost rotting shavings make have an impact on the environment with breakdown taking so long, but cardboard is 100% biodegradable so this isn’t a problem.

“With Academi, the used bedding rots down completely within a year. In a composted state the bedding can even be spread on fields,” Mark said. The benefits include the organic cardboard where the bedding structure “fluffs up”, which exposes the “inherent fibre properties”. Making the bedding “fluffy requires one third less bedding compared to the process”.

“As moisture or liquid easily finds its way to the absorbent layers of the actual bedding, its absorbency is higher compared to shavings and wood fibres. These attributes prevent ammonia production from urine throughout the day and night. This has a significant impact on the quality of air in horse stables and the cost of muck removal and hay requirements.

Respiratory health

“There are also benefits such as this can more absorb the level of moisture produced resulting in bedding stays dry. This helps minimise neural deposition. The absorbent bedding can shield ammonia responsible for horse and human respiratory health.”

Academi cardboard bedding uses top-class cardboard, hence allows your horse to be used overall.

Cardboard bedding allows your horse to rest in a lovely warm comfortable bed. The heat created by your horses quickly dissipates when they are sleeping, especially during the winter months, even when they are kept indoors. Cardboard traps the heat around the horse. Your turnout rugs keep your horse warm but this does not stop condensation, this is moisture drawn from the body.

Some producers cut corners and use cardboard contaminated from other cardboard not suitable for animal use or cardboard which has been treated on industrial waste for example for food consumption. Our cardboard colour is the same 1 brown consistent throughout not strands of white.

Our raw material comes from a box manufacturer’s production line. New cardboard is produced only a few weeks before it was used for converting into boxes or packaging. By using new cardboard and cardboard which has no risk from food contamination, such as food packaging, chemical contamination, or mixed cardboard waste with recycled cardboard entering the production line, thus eliminating the risk of spores or other inhalation qualities.

Green Mile cardboard bedding is easier to muck out compared to shavings and cardboard bedding, it is very light to use and very affordable.

“It is easier on farmers especially if we are working with large areas to cover in fields. Green Mile Green bedding can be bought in bales or pallets and delivered to your yard by the Academi team. Contact Academi for pricing and delivery.”