Nutrition in barley straw for fat cobs

[canteron]

Oh no, my cobs are definitely too large and need to go on an urgent diet before Spring.
The two of them are out 24/7 on a 5 acre field which is still grass not mud so they can still pick away , and have a small hard feed (to get supplements down). Also a small bale of hay and half a bale of (yummy apparently) barley straw between them.

What would you do? thinking about swooping to half a bale of hay and a whole bale of barley straw. This years Barley straw seems particularly palatable and I am wondering whether the hay is more calorific that normal due to the hot Summer. What is the nutritional value in barley straw and is that a colic risk (I know if in they will happily eat their beds).

I can’t work them at the moment, due to broken bones, which isn’t helping !

 

[TotalMadgeness]

I don't know about barley straw but oat straw most definitely removes the weight off my horses. I feed 50/50 oat straw to timothy haylage unless I see them piling on weight then its 70/30. I've never fed just the oat straw on its own however. At the moment they're on 70/30 rations because I can't exercise them due to snow & ice.

 

[w1bbler]

1/2 a bale of hay per day for a cob, plus 24/7 grazing, not surprised they are fat.
I used to have 3 on 5 acres & they had 1/2 bale a day between them from late Jan ( until then there was usually enough grass)
Reduce the hay & up the straw if they seem hungry