Straw pellets versus wood pellets

[mulberrymill]

I have been using wood pellets for some time and really like them, but thought I would trial the straw pellets.
So far, not so good, several of mine try to eat them, which they don't with the wood pellets. Also they are a wierd colour, almost green, and it's really hard to see the broken up poo. After a couple of days down, the bed is really dark, and doesn't look nice at all.
Anyone else using these?

 

[Fjord]

I've not used them but I got a sample of the miscanthus bedding which is meant to be less palatable than straw. My mare hoovered it up!

 

[JillA]

I haven't tried either, but if it helps, the advantage is in disposing of them. I avoid wood products as bedding, because they are acid and if I have the rotted muck heap spread once a year, that undoes all the good the expensive liming does to my land. Straw rots quicker than wood too, although if you don't have to dispose of yours, can't help as to which is best, sorry.
I use chopped rape straw or flax for deep littering, as I don't have rubber mats.

 

[EventingMum]

I swapped to straw pellets from wood pellets as with a big yard (30+ horses) it saved time not having to soak them, also they break down quicker than wood based products on the muck heap which is important to us. Initially a few horses ate them but soon stopped and I was very happy with them as a bedding especially as they were fairly economical when bought in 1 tonne bags.

However at the end of last year the product seemed to change completely ; the pellets were much darker so the beds looked dirty, they were also much harder and just didn’t break down even after three days with big horses trampling on them so they didn’t absorb and the rubber mats underneath became wet. I raised this with the company and they exchanged some of them but the next lot weren’t much better and the previously helpful person I had dealt with had left the company who then refused to believe what I was saying. I ended up losing about £1000 and I’m left with unusable bedding.

I’ve since switched to baled sawdust and I’m pleasantly surprised; it’s fairly cheap when bought by the pallet, it isn’t dusty which I thought it would be, in fact it’s very like broken down pellets to work with, it’s very absorbent and light to work with.