How to Make Hay and Straw: A Guide for Farmers

Whether you're running a livestock farm, a smallholding, or an equestrian yard, understanding the difference between hay and straw — and how each is made — is fundamental to good animal husbandry and farm management.

Hay vs Straw: What's the Difference?

These two products are often confused, but they serve very different purposes:

• Hay is made from grasses and legumes (such as ryegrass, timothy, or clover) that are cut while still green and nutritious. It is used primarily as animal feed.
• Straw is the dry stalks left over after cereal crops (such as wheat, barley, or oats) have been harvested for grain. It has little nutritional value and is used mainly for bedding.

Making Hay

The key to good hay is cutting at the right time and drying it quickly to preserve its nutritional content.

1. Cutting

Cut grass when it is at its most nutritious — typically just before or at the start of flowering, usually between May and July in the UK. Use a mower or mower-conditioner to speed up drying.

2. Tedding and Turning

After cutting, the grass needs to dry in the field. A tedder spreads and aerates the cut grass to speed up moisture loss. Turn the rows regularly, ideally during warm, dry, and breezy weather.

3. Raking

Once the moisture content drops to around 20% or below, rake the hay into windrows ready for baling.

4. Baling

Bale promptly once the hay is sufficiently dry. Small square bales, large square bales, and round bales are all common. Baling too early risks mould and heating in the stack.

5. Storage

Store hay under cover in a well-ventilated barn. Keep bales off the ground on pallets or rails to prevent moisture absorption from below.

Making Straw

Straw is a by-product of cereal harvesting rather than a crop grown specifically for the purpose.

1. Harvesting the Cereal Crop

When wheat, barley, or oats are combine harvested, the grain is separated and the straw is left behind in the field, either as a loose mat or in rows depending on the combine's settings.

2. Drying

Straw dries quickly in the field as it has already lost most of its moisture during the ripening of the grain. A few days of dry weather after harvest is usually sufficient.

3. Baling

Bale the straw once it is thoroughly dry. As with hay, round bales and square bales are both widely used. Straw bales are typically denser and heavier than hay bales of the same size.

4. Storage

Store straw under cover or under a tarpaulin to keep it dry. Wet straw quickly becomes unusable as bedding and can harbour mould and bacteria.

Tips for Success

• Always check the weather forecast before cutting — a settled dry spell of at least 3–5 days is ideal for hay making.
• Test moisture content with a hay probe before baling to avoid spoilage.
• Label and date your bales so you can rotate stock effectively.
• Good quality hay and clean dry straw make a significant difference to animal health and welfare.

For all your farm supplies — from fencing and feeders to animal health products and workwear — visit Skipton Dairy Services or call our team on 01535 603361.