Grass hay or Straw for bedding?

[EllieMay]

Grass Hay or Straw for bedding?

Is one more preferable to the other?

We have rolled bales of grass hay that I am keeping just in case the sheep need to eat it over the winter.
It is way more than I need, so I could use some for bedding.

BUT every time I see someones barn stall, they always have straw in there.
(Of course these barns house horse and cattle so maybe that makes a difference.)

What's the difference with using straw or hay for bedding?

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Well, normally hay is too expensive to waste on bedding so straw is used. I prefer straw anyways, because I find hay mats down too much and is a bear to clean out. Unless you're absolutely 100% positive there's no way you will feed out all that hay over winter, then I'd go with straw. Plus, you can keep the hay and feed it out next spring or keep it in case of an unplanned circumstance. If you paid more for it than straw costs, I'd keep the hay in the barn and get straw.

 

[SheepGirl]

Straw absorbs much more than hay. Hay also smells bad when it gets wet (like haylage). It's also lighter and fluffier (thus warmer) than hay. If you're going to use bedding, I only recommend it in the cooler months (December-February), because straw gets too warm in spring/summer/fall and they prefer to lay in the mud/dirt/grass instead.

You can always save the hay so it's less you have to buy next year

 

[cedarcurve]

I'd trade you 2 bales of straw for one of grass hay... no hay to be found around here.

 

[EllieMay]

I know what you mean.
The drought hit us hard this year (but not as hard a some).
We normally get 16 round bales; this cut we got 7 bales.
Many of the local farmers have sold their cows.