Feeding straw?

[lovemypony]

Firstly i am new here so hi to all

I was wondering if anyone feeds straw to there horses/ponies?

The hay we have this year is not very good quality and stupidly expensive, but we have some lovely dust free spring barley straw. The farmer is suggesting that horses can manage very well on this as sole forage (along with daily turn out) and was wondering if anyone does this? both my boys are good doers one is a welsh x the other a sec D and both need hay to be restricted, both on a feed balencer, hifi and sugarbeet 2x a day.

 

[AmyMay]

I fed lovely barley straw to my little cob mare as part of her 'hay' ration. It also helped keep her weight under control.

She wasn't that fussed to begin with. But as soon as she got hungry enough that all changed.

 

[peanut]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think oat straw is the best one to feed and wheat straw the worst.

 

[AmyMay]

Oat straw is the best. I fed barley straw though to keep the calories down.

 

[lovemypony]

We don't have the option of oat straw

was thinking that good quality barley straw for good doers has got to be better than poor quality dusty hay, but wanted to make sure it wouldn't make them ill

 

[peanut]

So is barley the middle option?

In order of quality, does it go: oat, barley and then wheat?

 

[Hedgehunter]

Spring Barlys straw is the best, then oat, then winter barley and wheat, The feed value is dependent on the length of the growing season, the shorter the growing season, the higher the feed value.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I was recommended by an experienced feed helpline expert to replace half my fatty mare's hay ration with good quality oat straw. But (a) I can't get it anywhere and (b) I then heard that feeding straw can cause impaction colic, so I wouldn't dare do it even if I could get hold of ther stuff!!!

 

[badgerdog]

When my horse had laminitis recently I fed him a mixture of this years poor quality hay and some good barley straw. He dived into the barley straw and refused to eat the hay.
I looked up feeding barley straw on the internet and it is considered preferable to poor quality hay.

 

[lovemypony]

[ QUOTE ]
When my horse had laminitis recently I fed him a mixture of this years poor quality hay and some good barley straw. He dived into the barley straw and refused to eat the hay.
I looked up feeding barley straw on the internet and it is considered preferable to poor quality hay.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is good to know, i have been mixing the hay and straw but he is leaving the hay. The yard owner assured me it was fine but i just can't help but worry!

 

[SunshineTallulah]

My hoss keeps eating his bed (wheat straw) and his haylage and leaving the hay, so I am gonna swap him onto shavings as I am worried about impaction.