What are flax stalks?

All practical information about flax stalks

Wondering what exactly flax stalks are and how you can optimally use them? We have collected some practical information for you here. Should you wish to read up on additional information, you can always reach out to us. We would be happy to share with you a few details about flax, flax cultivation and our own brand.

The flax plant

Flax stalks come from the flax plant. The flax plant has a woody stem along the inside. The flax fibres are located on the outside of the stem. When the flax is processed (also called scutching), the woody stem is broken. Those broken particles are the flax stalks. We cleanse the flax stalks of impurities and strip it of flax seed and we remove the dust. We then pack the flax stalks in bales of about 20 kg. You can purchase the flax stalks both by the bale and by Euro-pallets or industrial pallets. All pallets are always supplied with a waterproof cover.

The long flax fibres are mainly used in the textile sector, also known as linen. The shorter fibres are also used in the textile sector, although they have other applications. The shorter fibres of lesser quality are mainly used in paper such as dollar bills and in insulation materials.

The flax seed is used in both human and animal food. For animal food in particular, we are FCA certified (BC-02 v0.4 – 310317 and BC-05 v0.4 – 151118). Furthermore, linseed is made into linseed oil that is used to treat parquet, among other things. Linseed oil can also often be found in cosmetic products.

Even the dust extracted by our processing plant proves useful for manure processing because it absorbs a lot of moisture from manure.

As you can see, flax is very durable because every part of the plant is used. In addition, flax is CO₂ negative, which means that the plant stores more CO₂ than is emitted during cultivation and processing. A hectare of flax also extracts more CO₂ from the air than a hectare of forest and retains it forever in the fibres (e.g. textiles, composites & building materials). With other crops, the stored CO₂ is released much faster.

In addition, little water and chemicals are required for flax cultivation and processing. On top of that, flax produces roots up to one metre deep in the soil, which improves the soil structure. The soil then retains water better during dry periods and allows water to seep away better during wet periods. Conclusion: flax is a very sustainable and ecologically responsible crop.

The flax cultivation

The long-known “summer flax” or “spring flax” is sown annually between mid-March and mid-April. After a growth period of about 100 days, the plant is ripe and can be harvested.

For a number of years now, winter flax has also been grown. That is sown in mid-October and during the winter the growth stops for several months. The flax can normally be harvested a few weeks earlier.

The first stage of harvesting is called reaping. The plant is then literally pulled out of the ground and not mowed, which would be impossible due to the fibbers it contains.

After reaping, the flax lies in rows on the ground to rot. That is a process in which moisture (dew and rain) and heat break down the pectin that holds the fibres to the woody stem. During the processing process, the fibre can then be separated from the stem.

When one side is sufficiently rooted, the rows of flax are turned, so that the other side can also rot. The flax is then rolled up in bales and stored in our warehouses until it is further processed.

After harvesting, the flax is scutched. For this, it goes through a swaying line in which the stem is broken. This allows us to separate the flax stalks – the long and short fibres (called tow) – and the flax seed.

How to use flax stalks?

To process flax stalks, it is important to remove the old litter and clean your barn completely. The flax slates may be spread out on a damp floor. When scattering fresh bedding, it is necessary to spread a sufficiently thick layer of flax stalks. That equates to about four packs for a 9 m² barn or six bales for a 16 m² barn.

If your horse previously stood on straw, it may be helpful to introduce some hay to prevent the horse from eating the flax stalks. Does your horse keep eating the litter anyway? Then it is advisable to always provide some hay. Even if the horses kept eating the flax stalks, it could never cause colic or other conditions.

The manure droppings should be removed daily. The urinating area must also be removed weekly, as well as the wet litter. After that, about half to a full pack should be scattered on top.

After about 12 weeks, it is recommended to remove all the litter and clean the barn completely before spreading the litter again. However, it is also possible to remove only the wet layer and then mix the remaining dry litter with several new packs of flax stalks.

The benefits of flax stalks

Flax stalks are 100% biodegradable.
Flax slats are an all-natural stable litter. In addition, flax stalks are CO₂ negative, which makes them an environmentally friendly stable litter.
Flax stalks absorb up to 450%, which is 12 times more than straw and about five times more than wood shavings. As a result, the bedding always feels dry.
Thanks to its strong ammonia-binding properties, there will be less odour nuisance and fewer flies coming to the stables.
The high absorption means that less litter volume and therefore less storage capacity is required.
The entire barn should only be mucked out every twelve weeks. You only need to remove the manure daily and the wet patches weekly. A barn sprinkled with flax stalks is therefore less labour-intensive than a barn sprinkled with straw.
Flax stalks are completely dust-free, making them ideal for horses or other animals with sensitive respiratory tracts.
Flax stalks have a neutral pH and compost at eight weeks with a reduction in volume of up to 75%.
Flax stalks will not normally form plugs in your animals’ hooves.

Would you like to order flax stalks as stable litter for your horses?

Then navigate to our online store!

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