straw

Straw

Straw is a by product. It’s not really a roughage, but in countries where it’s very cheap the farmers jus it like a roughage. Straw fill the stomach, but the micro organic can not handle the straw, because the structure of it. The stomach work harder to get the straw in peaces. So the rest of the roughage stay also longer in the stomach.

Two  systems what a farmer told us:

System one:

Straw is a good alternative in rations for cows and sheep if propably supplemented with an energy source like grain and added minerals and vitamins. 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. Millet straw is more palatable and higher in energy and protein. Flax straw is lower in feed value than all the others because of its lower digestibility.

System two:

Mature beef cows can utilize a higher percentage of straw in the ration than anz other class of livestock. Rations utilizing 50 percent straw can be combined with higher protein grass hay, legume hays and legume- grass hays to result in nutritionally adequate wintering rations for beef cows through the second trimester of gestation. Rations containing up to 60 percent straw bz weight have been satisfactory providing high quality roughage comprises the balance of balanced rations.

Page updated 10.4.2006