Hay vs. Straw — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 20, 2023
Hay is dried grass used as animal feed, while Straw is the dried stalks of cereal plants, used mainly for bedding.
Difference Between Hay and Straw
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Hay is primarily a nutritious feed for animals, harvested while green and dried for preservation. In contrast, Straw is the residual stalks from cereal crops like wheat and barley after the grain has been harvested.
Hay retains its nutritional value and is rich in protein, making it essential for livestock diet. Straw, on the other hand, has limited nutritional value and is typically not used as a primary feed.
When observing the texture, Hay often has a softer, leafier feel because it contains the entire grass, including seeds and stems. Straw feels rougher and coarser due to its hollow stalks.
In terms of color, Hay generally has a greenish hue, reflecting its nutrient content. Straw usually possesses a more yellow or golden tone.
Beyond agricultural uses, both Hay and Straw have found applications in various industries. Hay might be used in gardening as a mulch, while Straw is frequently used in construction for straw bale houses.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Use
Animal feed.
Bedding, mulch, and construction.
Origin
Dried grass.
Dried stalks of cereal plants.
Nutritional Value
High, with proteins and minerals.
Low, mainly fiber.
Texture
Softer, leafier.
Rougher, hollow stalks.
Color
Generally greenish.
Yellow or golden.
Compare with Definitions
Hay
Dried Grass: Grass that's been cut and dried for preserving.
The farmer stored the hay in the barn for winter.
Straw
Dried Stalks: Remnants after grain harvest.
Straw is left after harvesting wheat.
Hay
Animal Feed: Nutritious food source for livestock.
The cows thrive on the rich hay produced in the meadows.
Straw
Bedding Material: Used for animals to sleep on.
The horses slept comfortably on the straw.
Hay
Leafy Texture: Contains leaves, stems, and seeds of grasses.
The hay's leafy texture is evident when touched.
Straw
Low Nutrient: Not a primary food source due to low nutritional content.
While hay feeds animals, straw provides them bedding.
Hay
Stored Forage: Stored feed for use when fresh grass isn't available.
During drought, hay becomes a crucial resource.
Straw
Straw is an agricultural byproduct consisting of the dry stalks of cereal plants after the grain and chaff have been removed. It makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat.
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. However, it is also fed to smaller domesticated animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.
Straw
Dried stalks of grain, used especially as fodder or as material for thatching, packing, or weaving
A straw hat
Hay
Grass or other plants, such as clover or alfalfa, cut and dried for fodder.
Straw
A thin hollow tube of paper or plastic for sucking drink from a glass or bottle.
Hay
(Slang) A trifling amount of money
Gets $100 an hour, which isn't hay.
Straw
Stalks of threshed grain, used as bedding and food for animals, for thatching, and for weaving or braiding, as into baskets.
Hay
To mow and cure grass and herbage for hay.
Straw
A single stalk of threshed grain.
Hay
To make hay on (a patch of land).
Straw
Pieces or a piece of natural or artificial strawlike material.
Hay
To make (grass or other plants) into hay.
Straw
Something, such as a hat or basket, made of straw.
Hay
To feed with hay.
Straw
A slender tube used for sucking up a liquid.
Hay
(uncountable) Grass cut and dried for use as animal fodder.
Straw
Something of minimal value or importance.
Hay
(countable) Any mix of green leafy plants used for fodder.
Straw
The least valuable bit; a jot
I don't care a straw what you think.
Hay
(slang) Cannabis; marijuana.
Straw
Something with too little substance to provide support in a crisis
Near the end we were grasping at straws.
Hay
A net set around the haunt of an animal, especially a rabbit.
Straw
Of, relating to, or made of straw
A straw mat.
Hay
(obsolete) A hedge.
Straw
Containing or used for straw, as a barn or feeding trough.
Hay
(obsolete) A net placed around the lair or burrow of an animal.
Straw
Of the color of straw; yellowish.
Hay
(obsolete) An enclosure, haw.
Straw
Of, relating to, or constituting a straw man.
Hay
(obsolete) A circular country dance.
Straw
Apparently legitimate but actually intended as a cover for illegal or secret activity
Set up a straw company to launder money.
Hay
The letter for the h sound in Pitman shorthand.
Straw
(countable) A dried stalk of a cereal plant.
Hay
To cut grasses or herb plants for use as animal fodder.
Straw
(uncountable) Such dried stalks considered collectively; this bulk matter may be a chief salable product, a by-product, fodder, bedding, or green manure, depending on region and on current market conditions.
Hay
To lay snares for rabbits.
Straw
(countable) A drinking straw.
Hay
A hedge.
Straw
(uncommon) A pale, yellowish beige colour, like that of a dried straw.
Hay
A net set around the haunt of an animal, especially of a rabbit.
Straw
(figurative) Anything proverbially worthless; the least possible thing.
Hay
Grass cut and cured for fodder.
Make hay while the sun shines.
Hay may be dried too much as well as too little.
Straw
Made of straw.
Straw hat
Hay
To lay snares for rabbits.
Straw
Of a pale, yellowish beige colour, like that of a dried straw.
Hay
To cut and cure grass for hay.
Straw
(figurative) Imaginary, but presented as real.
A straw enemy built up in the media to seem like a real threat, which then collapses like a balloon.
Hay
Grass mowed and cured for use as fodder
Straw
To lay straw around plants to protect them from frost.
Hay
Gardening Mulch: Used to retain soil moisture in gardens.
She spread hay over her garden to protect the soil.
Straw
To sell straws on the streets in order to cover the giving to the purchaser of things usually banned, such as pornography.
Straw
To spread or scatter. See Strew, and Strow.
Straw
A stalk or stem of certain species of grain, pulse, etc., especially of wheat, rye, oats, barley, more rarely of buckwheat, beans, and pease.
Straw
The gathered and thrashed stalks of certain species of grain, etc.; as, a bundle, or a load, of rye straw.
Straw
Anything proverbially worthless; the least possible thing; a mere trifle.
I set not a straw by thy dreamings.
Straw
Plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
Straw
Material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds
Straw
A yellow tint; yellow diluted with white
Straw
A thin paper or plastic tube used to such liquids into the mouth
Straw
Cover or provide with or as if with straw;
Cows were strawed to weather the snowstorm
Straw
Spread by scattering (
Straw
Strew toys all over the carpet
Straw
Of a pale yellow color like straw; straw colored
Straw
Hollow Texture: Has a distinct tubular structure.
The straw's hollow texture is perfect for crafts.
Straw
Construction Material: Used in eco-friendly straw bale houses.
They built their home using straw as insulation.
Common Curiosities
Is Hay edible for humans?
While Hay is nutritious for animals, it's not typically consumed by humans.
Are Hay and Straw allergic triggers?
Both can be allergens, especially for those with hay fever, though the term "hay fever" doesn't specifically relate to hay.
Which is softer, Hay or Straw?
Hay is generally softer due to its leafier content, while Straw is coarser.
Why is Hay more expensive than Straw?
Hay has nutritional value for livestock, making it more valuable, while Straw is a byproduct of grain harvest.
Why is Hay greenish while Straw is yellow?
Hay is harvested while still green, preserving its color, while Straw is the residue after grains ripen and are harvested.
Can Straw be used in gardening?
Yes, Straw can be used as mulch in gardening.
Can both Hay and Straw be used in construction?
Primarily, Straw is used in construction, especially in straw bale homes, whereas Hay isn't commonly used for this purpose.
Can Straw be used as animal feed?
Straw can be a supplemental feed, but it doesn't offer the nutrition that hay does.
Is it okay for animals to eat Straw?
While not harmful, Straw doesn't provide the nutrition that hay or other feeds do.
What crops produce Straw?
Cereal crops like wheat, barley, and oats leave behind straw when harvested.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
