Donna and Alex von Hauff

Wood shavings isn’t the most exciting product but horses love it and Alberta produces it in abundance. A …mother and son knew horses love wood shavings for bedding, and when they discovered that Alberta sawmills generate an abundant supply, they saw an opportunity to play matchmaker. …But spruce-pine-fir (SPF) wood shavings for animal bedding remains their main focus and their market extends well beyond horses…The von Hauffs’ leap from horse enthusiasts to suppliers to the equine industry is exactly what the province is hoping to encourage, said Toso Bozic, a bioenergy and forestry specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “Alberta’s forest industry generates high volumes of waste products like wood shavings,” said Bozic. “We can help interested Albertans investigate the potential of these waste materials, and develop business plans around finding customers for them…”