IhaveTooMany
Active Member
As the title says what one is better and why please if you have used both. Have looked through so many threads on the forum but can't seem to find anything to answer this. Thank you.
What is better chopped rape or wear straw for bedding?
- Thread starter IhaveTooMany
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IhaveTooMany
Active Member
Wheat** 
Glitter's fun
Well-Known Member
Hello, welcome to the forum.
Can't answer your question (mine live out) but this should put it back up the list so someone sees it.
Can't answer your question (mine live out) but this should put it back up the list so someone sees it.
PurBee
Well-Known Member
I prefer a bedding mine wont eat - both rape and straw there’s potential they’d eat it. Despite the marketing of chopped rape bedding as being unpalatable for horses, my very fussy mare thought it was very tasty, and so did the gelding (who’ll try to nibble on anything), and they both ended up bloated, gut-ache and footsore immediately after. I got rid of the bedding and they recovered over the next week.
If i hadnt been so observant about where i put the rape straw bedding to ‘try’ on them in their barn, along with original shavings, and noticing it had reduced overnight because they’d eaten it, and saw them eat it by spying on them just to make sure!…i could have assumed their mild colic and lami was from grass sugar surge or the hay.
I use shavings now, and wood pellets if i can get them, as an underneath pee-absorb layer to shavings. Its the best combo that works to absorb pee, and they dont like eating pine wood, thank god!
I like a big heavy deep bed for them to collapse on and shavings pack down nicely to be a firm weighty bed. The rape straw moved about easily, seemed lightweight, with potential for them to be skidding it up with legs as they’re down and end up with their legs laying on bare concrete. Straw would have to be a massive depth to provide a thick cushion on bare concrete, and its rubbish at absorbing pee, so i didnt bother long with any straw.
If i hadnt been so observant about where i put the rape straw bedding to ‘try’ on them in their barn, along with original shavings, and noticing it had reduced overnight because they’d eaten it, and saw them eat it by spying on them just to make sure!…i could have assumed their mild colic and lami was from grass sugar surge or the hay.
I use shavings now, and wood pellets if i can get them, as an underneath pee-absorb layer to shavings. Its the best combo that works to absorb pee, and they dont like eating pine wood, thank god!
I like a big heavy deep bed for them to collapse on and shavings pack down nicely to be a firm weighty bed. The rape straw moved about easily, seemed lightweight, with potential for them to be skidding it up with legs as they’re down and end up with their legs laying on bare concrete. Straw would have to be a massive depth to provide a thick cushion on bare concrete, and its rubbish at absorbing pee, so i didnt bother long with any straw.
94lunagem
Well-Known Member
I’ve used both over the years, usually depending on what I can get. I honestly can’t tell much difference between the two. Mine live out but I always have enough bedding in and swept back to make a small bed for when they’re in waiting for farrier, vet etc. And occasionally I’ve needed them in for a longer period and had big beds of it. None of mine have ever eaten it, I’ve used the stuff that smells like eucalyptus so that may be what puts them off? It personally makes me sneeze! As said above it does move quite a bit while it’s completely fresh but it’s fine once it’s a couple of days in, I wouldn’t say one type moves more than the other. I’ve found it absorbent enough, but none of mine are particularly wet or messy. I find it less dusty than shavings, sneezing because of the smell aside!
Nari
Well-Known Member
I use chopped wheat straw - Sundown for preference - and love it. Never had a problem with him eating it and I find he lays down more in it than with other bedding I've tried. I did try adding a bag of chopped rape straw when I couldn't get wheat and he didn't lie down on it until I mixed it right in, likewise a hemp bedding. I keep it as a very deep semi litter bed, only taking out wet when it gets near the top and used like that I find it doesn't move around, is clean and dry on top, and is easy to muck out.
I don't know if wheat is necessarily better than rape but my lad certainly prefers it.
I don't know if wheat is necessarily better than rape but my lad certainly prefers it.
Sossigpoker
Well-Known Member
Yes as above , the chopped rape tends to be more grain like whereas chopped wheat is more fluffy , and like you'd expect straw to look like. The texture of the wheat will be nicer for the horse but they may eat either if really hungry.
I'm currently mixing chopped straw and shavings to transition onto straw. He has been on rape straw before and didn't eat it , but did eat the wheat straw.
I'm currently mixing chopped straw and shavings to transition onto straw. He has been on rape straw before and didn't eat it , but did eat the wheat straw.
Ratface
Well-Known Member
Old Horse and his companions are all on deep wheat straw beds with thick, high banks. He occasionally has a bit of a forage through it, but seems to be looking for the wheat grains rather than eating the actual straw. All the horses have huge haynets of homemade hay and never seem to have finished all of them by morning. OH has wood pellets under his preferred pee location, which is also checked and changed daily. They are fully mucked out every morning and skipped out prior to their supper time. They're out in their individual grass paddocks at dawn and in just before dusk at night. Staff are there from 0630hrs to 1900hrs and there are cameras in all stables with a feed back to YO's mobile phone or Head Groom's one if YO is going out for the day/evening.
little_critter
Well-Known Member
I used straw years ago, nice bed but took more maintenance and was stinky.
We now use chopped rape straw and it’s nice and easy to muck out, and comfortable for the horse. Basically treat it like shavings / hemp bedding.
Neither of my horses have tried to eat rape, but both have eaten straw in the past (nibbled, not binged)
Also bear in mind you’ll need to store straw undercover, rape is plastic wrapped like shavings so can be stored outside.
edited, not sure if you are asking about chopped wheat straw or conventional bales. I’ve never tried chopped straw.
We now use chopped rape straw and it’s nice and easy to muck out, and comfortable for the horse. Basically treat it like shavings / hemp bedding.
Neither of my horses have tried to eat rape, but both have eaten straw in the past (nibbled, not binged)
Also bear in mind you’ll need to store straw undercover, rape is plastic wrapped like shavings so can be stored outside.
edited, not sure if you are asking about chopped wheat straw or conventional bales. I’ve never tried chopped straw.
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Birker2020
Well-Known Member
I read the title and thought ..."well you learn something everyday"Wheat**
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
I dont like anything about wheat straw but I do use rape (Equinola) for one of mine who is allergic to shavings .
One of mine will eat rape but he also eats any straw based products including straw pellets .
The rape is super easy to muck out it rots down quickly on the muck heap you have to watch for it composting in the corners of the stable so brushing out airing regularly is important .
I personally would never use rape as deep litter because of this.
One of mine will eat rape but he also eats any straw based products including straw pellets .
The rape is super easy to muck out it rots down quickly on the muck heap you have to watch for it composting in the corners of the stable so brushing out airing regularly is important .
I personally would never use rape as deep litter because of this.
Sossigpoker
Well-Known Member
I'm trying Burlybed at the moment.
The chopped rape straw is like miscanthus, so like grain.
Just opened a bale of their chopped wheat and my god ,.there's a lot in there ! I actually topped up two stables with it ,.there was so much of it!
But my horse straight away tried eating it so spent ages mixing it in with the old bedding. For that reason I'm afraid I won't be using the chopped wheat again on my horse.
Mixed in with straw pellets it seemed to mix in well in the pony stable so might use it for him to fluff up his bed a bit.
The chopped rape straw is like miscanthus, so like grain.
Just opened a bale of their chopped wheat and my god ,.there's a lot in there ! I actually topped up two stables with it ,.there was so much of it!
But my horse straight away tried eating it so spent ages mixing it in with the old bedding. For that reason I'm afraid I won't be using the chopped wheat again on my horse.
Mixed in with straw pellets it seemed to mix in well in the pony stable so might use it for him to fluff up his bed a bit.