Chopped Straw Type Feeds & Choke Risk?

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horserugsnot4u

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Has anyone found that chopped feeds, which contain straw have lead to problems with choke? Friend has recently had a problem (don't know what feed) but made me wary. Looked at my Dengie Healthy Hooves and ended up picking a few bits of straw out that had very hard, knotty area on the stem. Does anyone think this could be an issue and are some chop feeds softer, or chopped finer than others? I'd be grateful for any opinions. Thank you
 
I think any chopped straw/alfa a type feed fed without watering it down could present a choking risk for horses that tend to wolf their feed etc. Best thing to do is water it down imo.
 
I feed chopped straw to mine in a bucket feed, they have it very wet with speedi-beet and soaked grass nuts. I've never had any problems :)
 
I've been taught to mix in a chop and damp it to help stop choke and make them chew it, as well as help providing extra fibre. Make sure it's good and.. damp :D I've also head of some putting large pebbles in their horses' feed bucket to make them chew around it and so slow down. Not sure if many people do it, or if it's particularly effective, as never had to do it myself... xx
 
I've been feeding chaff - both meadow and oat straw chaff for decades with no problems. Do make sure the feed has been damped, if the horse tends to bolt his feed a brick in the feed bin helps to slow it down.
 
I'm always wary about straw as a feedstuff full stop. Its a major risk factor in impaction colic.

I would prefer to feed a small amount of hay chop, alfalfa chop or fast fibre, where possible.
 
I feed a plain unmolassed straw chaff in winter to bulk the feed out - I feed it with Fast Fibre which is a wet feed anyway - never had any problems with it, but would never feed it dry.
 
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