Differbetween
Hay is a crop that is grown and harvested as a feed crop for cattle, horses and other farm animals. Straw on the other hand is a byproduct of a grain crop; in our area it's usually usually wheat straw that we see. ... Hay often is made up of a combination of different plants growing in a field or meadow.
- Why is straw better than hay?
- Do animals eat straw?
- Is Straw dried hay?
- Is Straw cheaper than hay?
- Which is better straw or hay?
- How long does Straw last?
- Why do farmers leave hay bales in the field?
- Why do farmers eat straw?
- What do farmers use straw for?
- Which is better for chickens hay or straw?
- Is hay or straw better for rabbits?
- Is Straw sprayed with chemicals?
Why is straw better than hay?
Straw is normally used for a bedding material, while hay is used as a feed supplement. Straw is dried out and works well for building nests and providing cushioning for animals to sleep in. Straw is also more practical to use as bedding than hay is, because of its lower cost. ...
Do animals eat straw?
Straw is a good alternative in rations for cows and sheep if properly supplemented with higher quality feedstuffs. Differences in feeding value do exist among the straws. ... Oats is the most palatable and nutritious; barley straw is second and wheat straw has the lowest nutritional value of the main grains.
Is Straw dried hay?
Unlike hay, straw is not usually used as livestock feed because it isn't very nutritious, especially dry straw. Straw is made by cutting and forming the hollow stocks that are left after grain is harvested. Light and fluffy, straw is excellent bedding for animals. ... The hay is then dried.
Is Straw cheaper than hay?
Straw is far less expensive than hay in our area, selling for under $4/square bale. ... 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.
Which is better straw or hay?
Hay tends to lay flat and pack down, so it decomposes fairly quickly. It also has more of a sponge effect than straw does, which means that in heavy rainfalls, it buffers or slows down the amount of rain that soaks into the soil to help prevent erosion and leeching of nutrients.
How long does Straw last?
It is good straw and I put in one wheelbarrow a day (very big wheelbarrow). The bale has about 10 bales in it and it lasts anything from 4 weeks up, depending how wet he has been and if I have taken the deep litter out like I did last week.
Why do farmers leave hay bales in the field?
If they are scattered around the field the farmer is just waiting for a convenient time to pick them up and move them. If lined up along the edge of the field they are being stored there. Big round bales can handle being left outside, and even if the outside looks weathered the inside will be good for a year or longer.
Why do farmers eat straw?
The answer is "Farmers Gum." Chewing on a bundle of wheat head while spitting out the seed shells and chaff leaves behind a gluten chunk the resembles chewing gum. A ton of chaff usually gets stuck in your teeth in the process, so you use the stalk to pick em out instead of a toothpick. Or they just wanna look badass.
What do farmers use straw for?
Some livestock eat the straw as roughage in their diets. Straw is also used as bedding for livestock. Livestock farmers choose to grow wheat so once the wheat has been harvested they have available land to apply manure.
Which is better for chickens hay or straw?
NEVER use hay as coop bedding. Hay is livestock feed, straw is livestock bedding. Hay is too "green" and tends to harbor mold and bacteria which is extremely detrimental to poultry health.
Is hay or straw better for rabbits?
Straw has a lower nutritional value than hay so it's not suitable to feed as a replacement for grass. If you use it for bedding, add some hay on top for your rabbit to snack on. It's perfectly safe if your rabbit does nibble the straw a bit too though.
Is Straw sprayed with chemicals?
Farmers have been spraying herbicides for a long time. In spite of that, for years organic gardeners were never really concerned about the straw being so contaminated with chemicals that it would effect our vegetable crops — possibly for years — if you used it as mulch.
