What is the difference between straw and hay?

Straw is a stalk, usually a waste product of wheat, that's used as bedding for barnyard animals. Hay—typically alfalfa or a grass—is used as animal feed.

Which is better hay or straw?

Straw is not as nutritionally valuable as hay and is generally less expensive than hay. Hay is harvested while it is still a live, healthy plant. Straw is the dead stalks of plants after the valuable parts of the plants have been harvested.

Is straw better than hay for bedding?

They look similar, but while straw makes excellent bedding for outdoor cat shelters, hay becomes a soggy mess. Hay is typically used to feed animals, like horses. It soaks up moisture, making it cold and uncomfortable for catsand has the potential to get moldy.

Is straw just dry hay?

Some straw and hay may look similar but have different compositions, appearances, and uses. For example, straw is made of grain stalks, while hay is made of dried grass or legumes. Hay is usually made for animal feed. Straw is made for bedding, compost, mulch, erosion control, and more.

Is hay better than straw for grass?

Aged hay contains nutrients that can enrich the soil. Fact 2: Straw is the hollow shaft left over after crops have been harvested. The stiff, hollow composition of straw makes it a great insulator. Straw decomposes at a much slower rate than hay, has a very low moisture content and has no nutritional value.

The Difference Between Hay and Straw

Which is more expensive hay or straw?

Since hay is more nutritious but more expensive, we buy hay solely for the horses to eat. Since straw is cheaper, dried and therefore less likely to mold or attract moisture, we buy straw for the backyard chicken coop and nesting boxes.

How can you tell straw from hay?

When the plants are left intact and bundled up, it's hay. But when the seed heads are removed, the plant stalk that's left behind is straw, a hollow tube that has many uses, including animal bedding on farms and mulch in gardens.

Is Timothy hay the same as straw?

A bale of hay and a bale of straw may look similar and may be found together in the same places, but they are very different. Hay is food for plant-eating animals. Straw is used for non-food purposes.

Do horses eat hay or straw?

While quality hay and pasture grass are the ideal sources of forage for most horses, there are some cases in which eating straw is a suitable alternative or supplement. “Yes, horses can eat straw,” said equine nutritionist, Shannon Pratt-Phillips, PhD.

Do horses prefer hay or straw?

Do horses eat straw? Although straw is often not the most palatable source of fibre, most horses will eat it, particularly if they are on a restricted diet. It can easily be mixed in with hay and soaked or steamed if necessary.

What happens if straw gets wet?

Bales that have been soaked will not dry out properly and will instead, heat and rot. Bacterial and fungal growth in these bales will have a significant detrimental impact on the quality of straw in the bale.

Does straw or hay attract bugs?

Hay bales and corn stalks are perfect places for a host of insects to hide in and feed on. There are some things you can do to decorate and reduce the likelihood of attracting pests. Leave pumpkins uncarved.

What are the disadvantages of straw bale?

Is hay just dried grass?

Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.

Do rabbits eat straw or hay?

Hay is dried grass and the most vital part of a rabbit's diet. Straw is dried stalks from grain crops and is much more suitable for bedding as it is warmer and less likely to be eaten. It's not a problem if rabbits eat straw but there are few nutrients and they must be given good quality hay to eat.

Do horses actually like hay?

As we adapted the horse for colder climates, the horse was well-suited to thrive on hay and other conserved forages. Many pleasure horses on small acreages subsist on hay 365 days a year, and their only involvement with "pasture" is a place to exercise. (Right) Forage should be the foundation of the horse's diet.

Why won't horses eat some hay?

On the other hand, horses might refuse to eat hay that is moldy, old, coarse and stemmy, or full of weeds. Not every horse needs the abundant nutrients in alfalfa (lucerne), but a flake or two of alfalfa blended into a pile of clean grass hay will often enhance the taste of this offering.

Why can't horses eat straw?

Lignin fiber is completely non-digestible in the digestive system of horses. If horses eat a large volume of straw, this lignin fiber accumulates in the digestive system and it can plug (impact) the digestive system. This results in severe colic and even death if not properly treated.

Why do farmers leave hay bales in the field?

For drying,seasoning,kill weed seeds,storage(you can't put round bales in a hay mow). If feeding to cattle they still get good use out of it because of their multiple stomachs and cud chewing.

Should I use hay or straw in my garden?

This material is used more for animal bedding as it has little nutritional value left. But, it's also a great option for gardens. When deciding on hay vs straw, straw is the better option for the veggie garden. Hay bales often contain weed seeds and you don't want to make more work for yourself!

How do you tell the difference between a straw and a hay bale?

Can you use hay instead of straw?

Nowadays people use the terms hay and straw interchangeably, and in most cases, it makes no difference whatsoever.

Are there bugs in straw bales?

An unwanted guest you may be brining into your yard with the hay bales are straw itch mites (Pyemotes tritici). These mites are associated with stored commodities including hay and have been commonly found in wheat straw hay.

What are the 4 categories of hay?

Hay falls into several categories: grass, legume, mixed (grass and legume) and cereal grain straw (such as oat hay). Some of the more common grass hays include timothy, brome, orchard grass and bluegrass. In some parts of the country fescue, reed canary grass, ryegrass and Sudan grass are common.

How long does it take for hay straw to decompose?

If your garden is managed well, your straw garden mulch will decompose in several months. However, if left unattended, it may take up to 1-2 years.