Straw- different types

[holeymoley]

I’ve been using straw as bedding on and off for a few years now. I’m not too clued up on the different types though, could someone advise me? As far as I’m aware there’s Barley, Wheat and Oat Straw and I’m sure i’ve read that Wheat straw shouldn’t be used for horses.

Our supplier brings straw as we require. He doesn’t grow his own so it’s whatever he’s bought in and stored himself to sell on. There’s a type that we have that I prefer over the other and if possible to differentiate I’d like to see if he could supply us with this type only.

The ‘good’ stuff is quite long and stalky, but they don’t eat it and the poops fall off it quite easily so less waste when mucking out. The other stuff, which is the devil(!) in comparison is like noodles. It’s golden, quite soft, compressed and stuck together. They love to eat it too. I feel like I take more of this out too while mucking out as it seems to clump together and stick to the poops. The good stuff is paler in colour in comparison to the noodle type which is a rich golden colour. I think this could be Barley? Maybe they’re both the same and just different cuts or different growth times/fields?

 

[Exasperated]

I’ve been using straw as bedding on and off for a few years now. I’m not too clued up on the different types though, could someone advise me? As far as I’m aware there’s Barley, Wheat and Oat Straw and I’m sure i’ve read that Wheat straw shouldn’t be used for horses.

Our supplier brings straw as we require. He doesn’t grow his own so it’s whatever he’s bought in and stored himself to sell on. There’s a type that we have that I prefer over the other and if possible to differentiate I’d like to see if he could supply us with this type only.

The ‘good’ stuff is quite long and stalky, but they don’t eat it and the poops fall off it quite easily so less waste when mucking out. The other stuff, which is the devil(!) in comparison is like noodles. It’s golden, quite soft, compressed and stuck together. They love to eat it too. I feel like I take more of this out too while mucking out as it seems to clump together and stick to the poops. The good stuff is paler in colour in comparison to the noodle type which is a rich golden colour. I think this could be Barley? Maybe they’re both the same and just different cuts or different growth times/fields?

Wheat straw, well made and baled up, was always considered the ‘gold standard’ horse bedding. The stalks are longer and stronger, should almost ‘clatter’ onto the floor, so drainage is much better, and wheat straw is generally considered less palatable to horses. I think this is what you actually prefer.
Barley straw is flatter, softer and fluffier, compresses into a squelchier bed, and is usually more yellow. Often there may be tares of barley still attached, which horses like to eat, can sometimes makes them cough. Barley straw is regularly fed to cattle: ours eat silage, barley straw and hay.
Oat straw used not to be so popular with horse keepers, because it doesn’t drain so well as wheat for bedding, and is more tasty.
Straw can be made from other plants too, like rape.
Main thing is that your straw was got and baled up dry, preferably without any drying agent ( because some animals are sensitive to that), and not baled up ridiculously tight, either. Generally, the small ‘traditional’ bales are more likely to meet those requirements, as well as being easier for you to handle than the huge ‘heston’ bales.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Wheat straw, well made and baled up, was always considered the ‘gold standard’ horse bedding. The stalks are longer and stronger, should almost ‘clatter’ onto the floor, so drainage is much better, and wheat straw is generally considered less palatable to horses. I think this is what you actually prefer.
Barley straw is flatter, softer and fluffier, compresses into a squelchier bed, and is usually more yellow. Often there may be tares of barley still attached, which horses like to eat, can sometimes makes them cough. Barley straw is regularly fed to cattle: ours eat silage, barley straw and hay.
Oat straw used not to be so popular with horse keepers, because it doesn’t drain so well as wheat for bedding, and is more tasty.
Straw can be made from other plants too, like rape.
Main thing is that your straw was got and baled up dry, preferably without any drying agent ( because some animals are sensitive to that), and not baled up ridiculously tight, either. Generally, the small ‘traditional’ bales are more likely to meet those requirements, as well as being easier for you to handle than the huge ‘heston’ bales.

This.
Wheat straw is usually a decent bedding,
I'd not use either barley or oat for bedding, tho oat straw good for mixing with hay for clubbers or food bolters.

 

[holeymoley]

I think you both have hit it on the head. It must be wheat straw that I prefer. The descriptions sound very accurate. Thankfully both types I’ve had are well baled and not musty or anything. I’m just a bit picky! With the barley straw I seem to be putting in new straw every day whereas with wheat straw I top up every second or sometimes every third day. It’s large rounds we get, we don’t get a lot of hestons up here and not a lot make small squares of anything anymore, I think they’re dearer.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I always use wheat straw as bedding. There are still many variations though!
I think the best Is if you can source from a farmer with an older combine and baler. My partner is quite into straw dealing and they have the better newer balers and I just find it a bit more smashed up. The balers make more dense heavier big ( 6 string hestons) which sell for more in bulk but I prefer the straw baled less commercially.

 

[tatty_v]

I’ve used both and I actually prefer barley straw, but I sense I may be an outlier on this! We have also recently discovered that my horse is allergic to wheat, so it’s barley going forwards for us.

 

[rabatsa]

I feed barley straw to all mine along with hay. Good oat straw should be for feeding only as it can be as good as hay and the heavy horsemen pounce on any fields that they see growing round here. Clean wheat straw is the perfect bedding but the one most likely to cause a colic if eaten.

 

[Exasperated]

I always use wheat straw as bedding. There are still many variations though!
I think the best Is if you can source from a farmer with an older combine and baler. My partner is quite into straw dealing and they have the better newer balers and I just find it a bit more smashed up. The balers make more dense heavier big ( 6 string hestons) which sell for more in bulk but I prefer the straw baled less commercially.

Yep, if it’s baled over-tight, the straw stalks are crushed. And if any damp - no chance of drying out, just mould.

I feed barley straw to all mine along with hay. Good oat straw should be for feeding only as it can be as good as hay and the heavy horsemen pounce on any fields that they see growing round here. Clean wheat straw is the perfect bedding but the one most likely to cause a colic if eaten.

Horses do quite like barley straw to eat, especially when their hay ration’s finished!
I think the occasional coughing issue can be from the ‘hooky’ little tares in barley, often fasten onto your clothes when bedding down, too. Oat straw is evidently more tasty, and if you’ve got one ton-plus of horse to fill up - you’d grab the oat straw too!

 

[humblepie]

We currently have clinging together straw. It’s included in our livery which is just as well as use loads as it’s difficult to muck out as it just clings. The bales are huge and obviously much easier and quicker from the farming side but put up a fight to use. It’s a good work out.

 

[Exasperated]

We currently have clinging together straw. It’s included in our livery which is just as well as use loads as it’s difficult to muck out as it just clings. The bales are huge and obviously much easier and quicker from the farming side but put up a fight to use. It’s a good work out.

Sounds like contract-baled barley, likely with drying agent. They bale Hestons tight because at that size, are safer to handle.
Big combines are so expensive to run, makes economic sense to take fewer passes up and down a field to get that field baled and cleared before it rains, and onto the next.
Often fed to, or ‘blown in’ to cattle (huge straw chopper / blower), so pulling it apart isn’t an issue for cattlemen.
Anyway, if it’s basically working for you - all good!

 

[criso]

If it's all coming from the same supplier, I'd probably feedback how much I liked that batch if they get more in.

 

[holeymoley]

The barley stuff is tightly baled I think, it’s crushed and crinkly by the time you get to the core and then it’s blimmin hard work to get it separated in the bed. I suppose can’t complain too much as getting a good amount in the bale!