| Straw. |
| Introduction |
| The fibrous stalks from growing barley,
wheat, oats or legumes. Straw consists of the stems and
leaves of the cereals after the removal of the ripe seed. |
| Origin |
| UK and Worldwide. |
| Nutritional Information |
| A good source of long fibre but low in
protein and energy. Oat straw is often claimed to be the
most palatable. The composition of the straw is
influenced more by stage of maturity of the crop at
harvesting and environment than by the variety grown. It's
crude protein content is low (2-5%) and of low
digestibility. Straw is made up of 40 45% cellulose, 30-50%
hemicellulose and 8-12% lignin. The straw of pea and bean
is richer in protein, calcium and magnesium than cereal
straw. The thick, fibrous stalks mean they are more
difficult to dry and easily get mouldy compared to cereal
straw. |
| Colour/Texture |
| Pale yellow for cereal, and green for
legumes. |
| Palatability |
| Often needs to be mixed or coated with
molasses to encourage intake. |
| Limits on Usage |
| Energy levels (6-7 MJ/Kg DM) limit
inclusion rates in ruminant ration. It's fibrous nature
means it is unsuitable for non-ruminants. |
| Recommended Maximum Inclusion Rates % |
| Calf |
5 |
Creep |
0 |
Chick |
0 |
| Dairy |
10 |
Weaner |
0 |
Broiler |
0 |
| Beef |
10 |
Grower |
0 |
Breeder |
0 |
| Lamb |
3 |
Finisher |
0 |
Layer |
0 |
| Ewe |
0 |
Sow |
0 |
|
|
|
| Handling/Storage |
| The nutritional value can be improved by
treatment with alkalis, eg. caustic soda and ammonium
hydroxide. |