Hay and straw are two words we often use when talking about farm animals, but many people mix them up. Although they are not the same thing, the two terms are still used interchangeably, which can cause confusion.
What is the difference between hay and straw? Hay is dried grass or other plants grown specifically to be used as animal feed, whereas straw is the dry stalk left over after cereal crops like wheat or barley have been harvested.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Hay
– Definition, Features
2. What is Straw
– Definition, Features
3. Similarities Between Hay and Straw
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Hay and Straw
– Comparison of Key Differences
5. FAQ: Hay and Straw
– Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Key Terms
Hay, Straw
What is Hay
Hay is a type of animal feed made from dried plants. Unlike straw, which is just the leftover stalks of cereal crops, hay is purposely grown and harvested to feed animals. It can be made from a mix of grasses and legumes, each type adding different nutrients. This makes hay an important part of farming, especially for animals like cattle, horses, sheep, goats, llamas, and alpacas. It makes up a big portion of their diet.
The quality of hay depends on the weather. The best season for growing hay is spring and early summer, when there’s enough sunshine, rain, and fertilizer. If the season is too dry, the grass won’t grow well. Meanwhile, if it’s too wet, farmers can’t cut and dry it properly. Hay must be dried in the sun for a couple of days. If it’s baled while still wet, it turns poor in quality, and animals won’t eat it.
The process of making hay starts with mowing the grass. While it dries, a machine called a hay bob turns it over to speed up the drying. Once it’s ready, another machine called a baler compresses the hay into bales tied with twine. These bales can then be loaded onto trailers and stored for use during the year, especially in winter when fresh grass isn’t available.
What is Straw
Straw is the dry stalk left over after cereal crops like barley, oats, rice, rye, or wheat have been harvested. Once the grain and chaff are removed, what remains is straw. Straw actually makes up about half the total weight of these crops.
Straw is often used as bedding for livestock such as cattle and horses. It provides warmth and comfort, especially in cold climates. Straw can also be used as fodder. It’s much less nutritious than hay, but animals can eat it as part of their roughage diet. Since it is harder to digest and has low nutrient value, it’s usually only fed in limited amounts, sometimes chopped into small pieces known as chaff. Interestingly, the process of digesting straw generates heat in animals, which helps them maintain their body temperature.
In addition to feeding, straw is also used for thatching roofs, making baskets, and even as fuel in some regions. Farmers usually collect and store straw in tightly packed bales bound with twine, wire, or string.
Similarities Between Hay and Straw
- Hay and straw are harvested plants that are cut, dried, and stored for later use.
- Farmers usually tie them into square or round bales for easy handling, transport, and storage.
- Moreover, they can break down easily and are often reused as mulch or compost in farming and gardening.
Difference Between Hay and Straw
Definition
- Hay is dried grass or other plants grown specifically to be used as animal feed, whereas straw is the dry stalk left over after cereal crops like wheat or barley have been harvested.
Purpose
- Hay is grown as animal feed because it’s rich in nutrients, whereas straw is an agricultural byproduct.
Plant Parts
- Hay is made from the whole dried plant, like grasses and legumes, including the leaves and stems, while straw is made from the dry stalks left after harvesting cereal grains like wheat, barley, or oats.
Nutritional Value
- Hay is nutritious and an important part of animal diets. Meanwhile, straw has very little nutrition and is only sometimes fed in small amounts.
Color & Texture
- Hay is usually greenish and soft, because it’s dried grass, while straw is yellow-gold and hollow, which makes it coarser and stiffer.
Uses
- Hay is used mainly for feeding livestock such as cows, horses, sheep, and rabbits, whereas straw is used for animal bedding, mulch, insulation, basket making, or fuel.
FAQ: Hay and Straw
1. Are straw and hay the same thing?
No, straw and hay are not the same thing. Hay is dried grass or plants grown to feed animals because it has lots of nutrients. Straw is the dry stalk left over after crops like wheat or barley are harvested.
2. Do horses eat hay or straw?
Horses mainly eat hay, not straw. Hay is dried grass or plants and is full of nutrients. Straw, on the other hand, is the dry stalk left after crops like wheat or barley are harvested. It has very little nutrition, so horses don’t usually eat it.
3. What is the difference between hay and straw bedding?
Hay bedding is made from dried grass or plants. Although it’s soft and comfortable, hay is usually not used for bedding. Straw bedding is made from the dry stalks left after harvesting cereal crops like wheat or barley.
4. Which is better for gardens, hay or straw?
Straw is better for gardens than hay because it has fewer seeds, so it won’t cause weeds. It works well as mulch, keeping soil moist, protecting plants, and enriching soil.
Reference:
1. “What is Hay?” Country File.
2. “Straw.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Hay Bales on the Field” (CC0) via Pexels
2. “Rice Straw” By Green – Self-published work by Green (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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