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While people often drive by fields of hay, they may not know there are different varieties or even the difference between hay and straw. Read on to learn the important differences, from nutrients to what animals it feeds.
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- Straw is the stubble left after farmers harvest grains from plants such as wheat, oats and rye, while hay consists of grass or alfalfa and includes leaves.
- Visually, you can tell the difference between hay and straw because hay retains its green plant color while straw is never green.
- The primary purpose of hay is feeding livestock.
- Among straw’s uses are bedding for livestock, mulch and erosion control.
