Hay Vs. Straw: What’s the Difference?

Farm Facts: Hay

• Hay represents the third largest agricultural crop grown in the United States, behind corn and soybeans.
• According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers plant 55.7 million acres of land in hay. The total crop exceeds 119 million tons per year, most of which farmers and ranchers use domestically to feed cattle, small livestock and the horse sector.
• In addition to round and square bales, you can find hay available in a variety of other forms including cubes and pellets.
• Hay is a grass that has been cut, dried and stored and is most commonly used for animal feed.

See more: Farm Focus: Hay

Hay Vs. Straw: What’s the Difference?

Many people confuse hay with straw. A bale of hay and a bale of straw may look similar and be found together in the same places, but they are quite different.

Straw is the stubble that is left after farmers harvest grains from plants like wheat, oats and rye. Farmers and ranchers use most straw for animal bedding. Square bales often sold in the fall for Halloween decorations are bales of straw. Straw can also be used as mulch for gardens and, in some cases, has even been used in walls of houses as insulation.

Take a look at some of the main differences between hay and straw below.

See more: A Hayfield of Dreams

Round Bales Vs. Small Square Bales

Learn the differences between round and small square bales and which ones are better for certain types of farms: