Why Do Horses Need Straw?

More than the type of bedding, it is critical to have bedding in your equines’ stalls. Straw, shavings, and pellets all serve as insulation against not only cold but also against excessive heat.

What does straw do for horses?

Although straw has very little buffering capability itself, it is still beneficial for gastric health in the sense that it increases chew time and therefore greater saliva production. This is important as saliva contains bicarbonate which helps to buffer acidity in the horse’s digestive tract.

Do horses need straw?

While straw is not as nutritious as hay, it is safe for horses to eat and can be a source of beneficial roughage. In contrast, the horses on wood shavings paused less frequently while consuming their hay meal and did not have anything to eat once finished.

What is better straw or shavings?

Absorbency- Shavings are much more absorbent than straw. Depending on your stable base, and how often your horse urinates, you should take into consideration how absorbant you need your bedding. It is important to maintain a straw bed free from manure, as ammonia can greatly affect the horse’s lungs.

Is straw good for horse bedding?

In addition to looking attractive, straw can make a very soft bedding, particularly if it’s chopped a second time after harvest. This softness can encourage horses to lie down and get more rest. Straw is also the bedding of choice for foaling, as opposed to wood shavings.

How much straw should I feed my horse?

Introduce straw gradually, as with all feeds. Feed barley or oat straw, ideally not sprayed with chemicals and of good hygienic quality. Feed no more than 50% of the total forage amount as straw. NB Pat Harris suggests feeding no more than 25% of the total forage amount as straw.

What’s difference between straw and hay?

Straw is a stalk, usually a waste product of wheat, that’s used as bedding for barnyard animals. Hay—typically alfalfa or a grass—is used as animal feed.

Can horses survive on hay alone?

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.

Is it OK not to rug a horse?

While it is true that wild and free-living horses survive without rugs, they move more than their domestic counterparts and can find their own shelter from bad weather. They also do not tend to live as long as domestic horses. Older domestic horses may therefore need extra warmth in cold, wet weather.

What is the best bedding for a horse stable?

Types of horse bedding

• Straw.
• Chopped straw.
• Wood shavings.
• Wood pellets.
• Hemp/flax.
• Rubber matting.
• Paper/cardboard.

What is the cheapest bedding for horses?

Straw is one of the cheapest options available to use as horse bedding, however it does come with some drawbacks: Mould can form if it is harvested or stored improperly. Ingestion can cause impaction problems.

Can straw cause colic in horses?

If horses eat a large volume of straw, this lignin fiber accumulates in the digestive system and it can plug (impact) the digestive system. This results in severe colic and even death if not properly treated.

What type of straw is best for horses?

Wheat straw is the most common type used. It makes a warm, comfortable bed that is easy to handle as well as allowing free drainage. Wheat straw is usually readily available although it does tend to be the dustiest straw. Barley straw is often the least expensive but is not always the most suitable for horses.

Which is warmer straw or shavings?

There are different practical aspects to each bedding option. Straw bedding provides more warmth and comfort for the horse, especially in the winter months, but it falls short as far as an easy clean up is concerned.

Do horses sleep on hay or straw?

Hate to be the country kid but horses sleep in straw or sawdust. I grew up in a city myself, but I’ve been around the block a few times, and I know that straw is different from hay. I once had to explain the difference to a clerk in a garden store where they were selling bales of straw to be used as mulch.

What can I use instead of straw for bedding?

With straw at a premium it is worthwhile looking at viable alternatives to use, especially peat, slats for calves and rubber mats in calving pens.

• Woodchip.
• Peat Bedding.
• Rushes.
• Wood shavings or sawdust.
• Miscanthus.
• Calf slats.
• Calf Jackets.
• Rubber Mats.

Should horses have hay all time?

Because we like to think our horses follow the same schedule that we do, many people think that horses need less hay at night because they’re asleep (and therefore, not eating). However, that’s a myth. Horses need access to forage at all times of the day.

Is straw high in sugar?

While most straw is low in sugar and starch, a feed analysis to confirm this is a good idea. If a feed analysis is not practical for you, visually inspect the straw to ensure it doesn’t contain intact heads of cereal grains which may make the straw high in starch.

Does straw have any nutritional value?

What is the nutritive value of straw? Straws are typically high in fiber and low in crude protein and energy making them an excellent forage in situations where dietary energy or protein dilution is desired.

Is straw just dry hay?

So, what is the difference between straw and hay? Straw is yellow, and it is made from grain crops (like wheat) by removing the grain and chaff. Straw has no seeds, and it is used for animal bedding, mulch, or compost. Hay is yellow or green, and it is made from dried grasses or legumes (like alfalfa).

Should I use hay or straw?

Straw is mainly used for decoration, bedding, erosion control, mulch, and archery backstops. It can also be used as a building material and in composting operations. Hay is grown as food for livestock. It can be used like straw but is expensive for the task.