feeding straw advice

J

JLD

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Hi, with the sudden flush of grass I think I am going to need to keep my pony in for longer in the day again, he usually has a soaked haynet but if in for longer he will need another one, he has weight issues and I was thinking of making that one a straw/hay mix one but i don't know what type of straw it is ( husband ordered for other animals ) he happily eats it as we discovered when husband left some out by mistake. I know oat straw is best to feed but is wheat or barley straw ok in small quantities if that's what it is ? Thank you.
 
I've fed barley straw without problems, but then they are Highlands. I think it is essential to make any change in feed gradual so the animals can get used to it and build up the necessary bacteria in the gut. At one time I was feeding barley straw ad lib without problems.

Oat straw is meant to be best but mine just burrowed through it (self feed 4x4s in hay rack) looking for unthreshed grain! Barley straw seems to be more palatable. I would not feed wheat straw as I think it is too coarse.
 
Yes we feed all ours on straw as have rather bullock like ponies who put on weight if they look at a blade of grass or hay. introduce gradually and make sure there is water available, oh and be prepared for the look of utter equine disgust as they eagerly look for a hay net to discover there is not a bit of hay in there
Nari
 
The three different types differ in softness and hence ease of digestibility. Oat is softest - but it is hard to come by as farmers usually just plough it in as it rots so easily in the field it's good fertiliser for them.
Barley is next softest then Wheat is most coarse.
I feed mine wheat (all I can get) and they have had no problems with it, my big horse likes it so much I can feed it in the field adn he will eat it rather than pick at thin grass! Many thousands of horses happily munch on their wheat straw bed when they have finished their hay without issue.

As above introduce slowly, give plenty of water and keep an eye on him. If you are worried you could soak wheat straw to make it softer.
 
Thanks - that puts my mind at rest. I haven't been able to get oat straw. I assume what we have is wheat straw. He eats it quite happily and will also have soaked hay and a multivitamin supplement.
 
That's ideal, the multivit and mineral (ESP for calcium) is important as straw is low in that and it's also low in protein so best to have a mix of the straw and hay.

Good stuff :-))
 
I don't put it in their hay net I leave it in a pile under the hay net, they usually just pick out the best bits and leave the rest and then that goes in the bed. If you are feeding barley straw sometimes there is quite a bit of barley left in the bale, so it may an idea to shake it out first. They have to be really hungry to eat soaked straw.
 
Apparently oat is better as barley affects the kidneys with breaking down and has a higher sugar content, dont know how true it is but.......... Sometimes old wives tales hold a bit of fact
 
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