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Writer's pictureMandy Sykes

Hay is for Horses, Straw is for Buildings

Updated: Jul 11, 2023

Believe it or not, one of the questions we often get asked by people when we talk about the use of straw to produce our Agriboard Green Building Systems™ mills is, “What are the animals supposed to eat then?” Well, fear not! Animals don’t need straw. Animals eat hay though, and since a lot of people don’t know the difference between hay and straw, let us explain.


Hay is typically made from grasses or legumes, such as alfalfa, timothy, or clover, which are cut when they are still green and succulent. It is harvested as a whole plant, including leaves, stems, and seed heads, and is relatively higher in protein, energy, and other nutrients compared to straw.

Straw, on the other hand, is the dry stalks of cereal crops such as wheat, barley, oats, or rice, which remain after the grains have been harvested. It is often baled and stored for various uses. Unfortunately, it is also often burned in the field, creating an abundant amount of pollution and inviting potential hazard.

Hay is commonly used as a primary source of nutrition for animals, particularly forage animals like cows, horses, and goats. It can be fed to animals in its dried form or used as a component of a balanced diet along with other feeds. Hay is typically more expensive than straw due to its higher nutritional value and labor-intensive production process.

Straw is relatively lower in nutritional value compared to hay, as it contains less protein, energy, and other nutrients. However, Straw has several other uses, such as: erosion control, animal bedding, gardening, or as a component of building construction materials like the CAF panels created by Agriboard Green Building Systems mills.


We aren't taking food from animals. We are helping save the environment. For more info check out our videos!


Have A Great Day!

Agriboard Green Building Systems™



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