Hay is dried meadow grass, it is used as a feed stuff for many animals, usually made into small rectangular bales. The Difference Between Straw and Hay. Hay is made from dried plants like legumes and grass, whereas straw is made from leftover stalks of grain crops. It’s easy to confuse hay with straw – also used on farms. The difference is in the type of grain or grasses used. Many people think they’re identical because they’re both often tied into square or rectangular bales, but a … However, there is very little nutritional value in straw and it should not be fed in place of good quality hay. Let’s tackle straw first. Hay legumes include alfalfa, clover and grasses such as timothy,… Horses eat straw or most horses will eat straw, I should say. In an effort to educate those who have trouble telling the difference between hay and stray, this brief tutorial should help. Straw is a related term of hay. February 3, 2016, Elaine Dragonnette, Leave a comment. Hay—typically alfalfa or a grass—is used as animal feed. Hay is eaten, straw is bedding Many people think they’re identical because they’re both often tied into square or rectangular bales, but a … It is coarser than hay but can be eaten and digested by many ruminants but doesn't have a great deal of nutritional value. The Difference Between Hay and Silage. Usually you can pick up or move a straw bale with not too much effort. And now you know the difference between straw vs hay! ---Mary Beth in Spokane (Washington) A. I can think of a lot of times when I spelled out the differences between hay and straw, but never when I … Coastal hay is a grass hay that is very common in Texas and other states along the gulf coast. The best hay is grown for sale to livestock owners because they value it and are willing to pay the Plus: Mike speaks with Laura Palmer, Director of the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program. Hay is a short word for grass, commonly Timothy or Orchard Grass, grown to proper height, cut at the peak of nutrition (ideally before it goes to seed), dried, bundled, and stored safely. food for livestock. Straw vs Hay: What is Hay? This hay vs straw thing is something that will come up pretty early in your journey with animals. Straw is very versatile and can also be used in non-farm products like hats, baskets, packaging and paper. Straw is a paler golden yellow color and lighter in weight. When I got started with goats I barely knew the difference between hay and straw. What’s the difference between straw and hay? In context|countable|lang=en terms the difference between hay and straw In this way, a person who builds a straw baled house, as opposed to a hay baled house does not have a house full of grain seed, but a house full of grain stalks, eliminating a huge risk of pests. It is barn-stored to avoid water damage, discolouration and mould. As it is a by-product it is much less nutritious than hay, which is why hay is more preferred as fodder, i.e. Straw, is the shaft which once held the grain but the grain's been harvested and all that's left is the shaft. Hay is geared toward being a nutrient-rich food for livestock, while straw is more often used for bedding instead of food. It may contain legumes such as alfalfa or clovers as well. Hay is more of a greenish tan, as I recall. I am allergic to hay (mildly) but can walk through straw with no problem. Hay is green. Second, hay and straw are the exact same thing, only harvested at different times (hay was cut when green and then dried; straw was cut when the plant had already turned yellow and dry by itself). As it is a by-product it is much less nutritious than hay, which is why hay is more preferred as fodder, i.e. What is the difference between straw and hay? The main difference between straw and hay is that hay is the actual product, whereas straw is a by-product that is leftover after its main purpose is done. The questionner may like to get to know about not just nutrition but also cost (especially on transport and storage) and availability and preference of his “livestock” for one before deciding any one of the dry fodder. Here's some links that may help: Hay is made for feeding animals, primarily cows, and straw is for bedding for all types of barn animals. The Difference Between Straw and Hay. Whether you’re going in to buy a bale of bedding for your chickens, some feed for your goats, or the base for a new garden, you know which bales to choose. For a good and concise summary of the difference between straw and hay, I'm going to pull heavily from Cindy at homegrownfun.com. Although this isn't exactly common as there are better options for hay, and typically only done when in a severe shortage of other hay. It is harvested fresh before seeding, and a type of legume. Hay generally has a finer texture than straw and more nutrional value. Both hay and straw are versatile, natural, and essential additions to most homesteads. That is definitely not the case. Hay is primarily a livestock feed. Ask most anyone what hay is, and they will tell you something like “dried grass that is fed to cows and horses during the winter.” Everyone has seen, either in real-life or on TV, cattle or horses being fed hay. The stems look hollow, like straws, and the seed heads look grassy, like wheat. Alfalfa, clover, and peanut are legume hays, while timothy, oat, bermuda, and orchard […] Hay is a… The main difference between straw and hay is that hay is the actual product, whereas straw is a by-product that is leftover after its main purpose is done. This problem shows no sign of going away. I was not taught the difference between straw and hay as a wee child, and as an adult, while I’ve learned the difference via the school of hard knocks, somewhere deep in my brain hay and straw remain synonyms. For example, hay is a feed, while straw is a byproduct, and although both can be used for bedding, straw is the better choice. Many people—even some that hail from rural America—can get confused. It also shows the internal workings of John Deere bailing equipment. Thanks for this – I have asked, and been asked, the difference and have never known. Hay vs Straw. Straw is a by-product of crops such as wheat or barley, golden in colour and mainly used as bedding for animals. What, then, is the difference between hay and straw? Mike McGrath reveals how one makes a nice mulch and the other is seed for un-intentional grain growers. This short video explains the difference between hay and straw. Straw is a stalk, usually a waste product of wheat, that's used as bedding for barnyard animals. You are not alone. If cut at the right stage in growth decent hay can be made from wheat plants. The Garden Conservancy allows access to Private gardens that would not otherwise be seen by the public. I’m a city kid. No need to worry, this is actually pretty easy to figure out. Hay and straw seem very similar on the surface, but they are actually quite different; each one ideal for its own thing. Hay is typically more green and finer stems, straw is typically yellowish with much coarser stems. That way the horse gets the nutrition of the grain and the roughage of the shaft. Hay is a crop that is grown specifically for the purpose of creating hay, while straw is a byproduct of different kinds of crops. Difference between Hay and Straw. Straw also has a wide variety of uses, for everything from a compost pile to an energy source. The next obvious question – what is the difference between hay and straw? Horses eat straw or most horses will eat straw, I should say. Hay such as oat hay still has the grains on the ends of the grass shaft. The biggest difference between straw and hay is that straw is the byproduct of crops, not the crop itself. As a adjective straw is made of straw. I was beginning to wonder if they were one in the same or if I was imagining allergens… now I know. Hay is usually dried grasses. Or are they essentially the same thing? There are various different types of hay available such as timothy, alfalfa, etc. Most of these bales are made from straw, not hay. Horses can eat straw, usually with no ill effects if the straw is in wholesome condition. If you thought hay and straw were the same thing, don’t worry. Hay such as oat hay still has the grains on the ends of the grass shaft. Let’s start at the beginning. What’s the difference between hay and straw? Q: What is the difference between hay and straw A: Hay is made from … Introduction: Straw and hay are two very different agricultural products. Let’s start at the beginning. Or are they essentially the same thing? What is the difference between straw and hay? However as both are packed in bales, non-agriculturists often treat them as the same produce. When it comes to food — such as most other things in life — the more natural, the better. food for livestock. In context|uncountable|lang=en terms the difference between hay and straw is that hay is (uncountable) grass cut and dried for use as animal fodder while straw is (uncountable) such dried stalks considered collectively. She does an excellent job of explaining the difference. As nouns the difference between straw and stover is that straw is (countable) a dried stalk of a cereal plant while stover is fodder for cattle, especially straw or coarse hay. That way the horse gets the nutrition of the grain and the roughage of the shaft. All our hay and straw is baled under 12% moisture content without the use of additives to ensure consistency and quality. What a farmer feeds their animals has a direct result on their health, as well as the quality of any products they create. In some states it is considered to be an invasive species, as it is not a native north American grass. This article will explain the differences between hay and straw so you can get what you need for your animals and sound intelligent while doing it! Straw, is the shaft which once held the grain but the grain's been harvested and all that's left is the shaft. Although I quickly learned that hay is food and straw is bedding, I just assumed that all hay was the same. Let’s start with hay. Barely knew the difference between hay and straw the seed heads look grassy like... Rural America—can get confused grass—is used as bedding for barnyard animals products like hats baskets... 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