There are several sayings and phrases that use the word hay. Whether you are going for a 'hayride', headed to 'hit the hay', or placing 'hay bales' on your front porch for fall decorations, many people never realize that it's not actually hay! Most of these bales are actually made from straw. The obvious question is what is the difference and why does it matter?

Hay and straw are two very common agricultural products that commonly get confused. A bale of hay and straw may look similar, but they are used for entirely different purposes on the farm. Although they share some similar uses, it is important to note the difference in composition, nutritional value and potential uses around the farm.

Hay holds nutritional value and is used as feed for cattle, horses and other farm animals, while straw is a by-product of hay that is composed of dried grain stalks and may be used for non-food purposes. 

Hay

Hay is a dried cereal crop that is grown and harvested as a supplemental feed for farm animals. It is generally used to feed livestock, horses and other small pets because it contains seeds and holds nutritional content. High-quality hay consists of heads, stalks and leaves and has a green color. Farmers may feed hay year-round or supplement animals during winter when the forage quality is low. 

Common types of hay grown for animal consumption include timothy, bluegrass, Bermuda, ryegrass, fescue, alfalfa and clover. When it is mature, the grass is cut and left to dry out in the summer sun. When completely dried, farmers will bale the hay to be used as feed for livestock. 

Straw

Straw is somewhat of a by-product and refers to the plant material that is left over after grains like wheat, barley, rice and oats are harvested. Most nutritional value in grain crops lies in the grain, so the straw that remains after harvest is generally very low in quality and not healthy for animals to eat. The hollow stems or straw, are baled up in rectangular-shape bales. Straw makes great insulating material and makes great bedding for animals. There are many other good uses for straw such as gardening, decoration and soil erosion control. 

Sources: Wilco, Homestead Gardens