Which is cheaper hay or straw?
Which is cheaper hay or straw?
Since hay is more nutritious but more expensive, we buy hay solely for the horses to eat. Since straw is cheaper, dried and therefore less likely to mold or attract moisture, we buy straw for the backyard chicken coop and nesting boxes.
How long does straw take to decompose?
According to 4Ocean, plastic straws can take up to 200 years to decompose, — way beyond our lifespans! For a one-time use, they last a very long time as most are not biodegradable.
How long does hay take to decompose?
If temperatures start to fall below 45˚C in the first two to three weeks the pile should be turned to replenish oxygen and expose new material to microbial decomposition.
What is drinking straw made of?
Historically, straws have been made from paper but today polypropylene plastic is the material of choice. Polypropylene is a resin made by polymerizing, or stringing together, molecules of a propylene gas. When a very large number of these molecules are chemically hooked together they form this solid plastic material.
How long does Straw last?
Straw Bale homes can last over 100 years if properly maintained. At some point, all structures will eventually be replaced.
Which is warmer straw or hay?
They look similar, but while straw makes excellent bedding for outdoor cat shelters, hay becomes a soggy mess. Hay is typically used to feed animals, like horses. … Straw, the dry leftover stalks from harvested crops, repels moisture, making it the best bedding for outdoor cat shelters.
Why are there bales of hay in fields?
Round bales are also easier to feed out, you can just roll them along and the hay unravels. … The reason they are in empty fields is that because of their good keeping qualities, you can bale them up and then just leave them where the baler spat them out until you need them – so reduces handling and storage.
Can I use old hay for mulch?
But using hay as mulch has some surprising benefits. It does indeed break down, but unless you have a very wet environment it shouldn't get moldy. Instead, it will start to compost, creating a rich layer of nutrients for your plants. This is especially good for seeds and starter plants.
Do animals eat straw?
Feeding Straw. Straw is a good alternative in rations for cows and sheep if properly supplemented with higher quality feedstuffs. … Differences in feeding value do exist among the straws. Oats is the most palatable and nutritious; barley straw is second and wheat straw has the lowest nutritional value of the main grains.
What can I do with old hay bales?
Growing your flowers or veggies directly in the hay bales makes good use of spoiled hay. Although many people use straw bales for this, hay bales also work. To garden in the hay bales, place them in the desired location and condition them. Saturate the bales with water and keep them moist for the first three days.
How much does a bale of hay weigh?
For example, if the round bale weighs 1,000 pounds, then it equals 20 of your 50-pound small square bales. If the large round-bale weighs 1,200 pounds and the small square bales weigh 40 pounds, then one large round hay bale would be equal to 30 small square bales.
Does Straw kill grass?
If you spread it too thickly, the straw will rot and the grass won't grow. One bale will cover up to 1,000 square feet. You don't need to remove the straw. The grass will grow through it, and it will naturally decompose with time.
Can you use hay bales for gardening?
Straw bales should be used for your vegetable garden because straw, unlike hay, does not contain seeds. … As a result, these bales usually contain timothy and alfalfa seeds, which can sprout into plants when wet. If you use hay bales, chances are good you'll end up growing hay rather than vegetables.
How many types of hay are there?
We carry 3 different basic types of hay: Grass, Legume and Grain. Grass hays like our Timothy have a high fiber content and are low in protein and calcium. It is one of the most common hays fed to horses.
Is straw good for the garden?
Mulch helps to hold in moisture, so you don't have to water as often; it shades out weed seedlings, cutting down on weeding time; and it composts into nutrients and amendments for the soil. Straw is one of the best mulch materials you can use around your vegetable plants.
Do cows eat hay?
Hay can also be fed on the ground. Most of the time, cows will eat from the top or sides of the hay bales, like you see in the picture below. … During the winter and while the cows are nursing their calves, we also feed them grain.
Does Hay help grass?
Hay helps grass seed grow in several ways. The main function of using a mulch over grass seed is to hold in moisture, and hay successfully does that.
What does straw do for grass?
Straw is often used to cover newly planted grass seed to reduce the amount of seed relocated by wind and water. … Straw may be used to cover grass seeds. Straw also holds moisture and keeps the grass seeds and seedlings from drying out.
Can I put hay in compost?
Then it can go straight on the compost heap. Hay is just dried up grass. Hay is mainly used to feed horses or cows because it is harvested before the seeds are dropped which means it is full of more nutrients and goodies. But as grass clippings are also totally safe for your compost heap, hay is too.
What is the difference between silage and hay?
The main difference between hay and silage is that the hay is grass cut and dried to use as animal fodder whereas silage is the fermented, green forage fodder stored in a silo. The moisture content of hay is not more than 12% while that in the silage is 40-60%. … Both crops are made up of grass.
Do goats eat straw?
Barley straw is generally considered to be the best as goats will be happy to eat it as well (although nutritional value of straw is low, it is good roughage). Next in value is wheat and oat straw. Again, avoid dusty or damp straw – it will not do you or your goats any good!
What do hay bales do in Minecraft?
Hay, you traitorous snake. That's why we prefer hay bales in Minecraft, where instead of ruining our lives, they sometimes save them. Landing on a hay bale in the game reduces any fall damage by 80%. … Hay bales are decorative, flammable blocks that can also be used to feed horses, breed llamas, and reduce fall damage.
Can I use hay to cover grass seed?
A shallow layer of straw is all that's needed to help retain moisture for the soil and fresh seeds. One bale of straw covers approximately 2,000 square feet. Sprinkling it in a light layer allows it to decompose naturally so you won't have to rake it up once the grass has sprouted.
How do you store hay bales?
Store hay where it's accessible. Don't stack hay higher than you can safely move it—this is especially important when stacking large round bales. And stack new hay behind older bales so you can feed the older hay first. Hay stacked on bare ground or concrete wicks moisture up through the bottom tiers, ruining the hay.
Is Straw a forage?
Both straw and hay can be called “forage” but there's an important distinction between the two. Straw is a by-product of seed (or grain) production. For example, a farmer who grows wheat will harvest the grain; the dry plant that remains after harvest is straw.
Does straw make good compost?
Straw is a valuable addition to the compost pile, as it decomposes quickly and helps heat the mixture. You can add it directly from the bale or add it at the end of the season after you've used it as a mulch along garden rows.
Is Hay good mulch for gardens?
Another great mulch for the vegetable garden is straw, salt hay, or weed-free hay. It looks good and has most of the benefits of the other mulches: retaining soil moisture, keeping down weeds, and adding organic matter to the soil when it breaks down.
Can hay be used for bedding?
Straw is normally used for a bedding material, while hay is used as a feed supplement. … It is not moist like hay and is unlikely to mold. Straw is also more practical to use as bedding than hay is, because of its lower cost.
Do horses eat hay?
Many pleasure and trail horses don't need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn't enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse's calories should always come from roughage. Horses are meant to eat roughage, and their digestive system is designed to use the nutrition in grassy stalks.
Do rabbits eat hay or straw?
Yes. Straw is perfectly fine for bedding. In fact, straw is probably a sensible choice for bedding as it is usually cheaper than hay. If you use hay as bedding, you'll be wasting quite a great deal of it because bunnies won't eat much of their bedding.