When it comes to feeding your cows, you want to make sure you’re giving them the best possible diet. Luckily, there are several different options that you can try. These include Barley and Oat straw. But which is best? Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing the best feed for cows.
Oat straw
Oat straw is a great feed source for cattle. It contains protein and carbohydrates, which cattle require for energy. In addition, oat straw contains trace minerals and vitamins. It can be mixed with grain and hay to improve the cows’ intake of both types of feed. It can be given daily or on a free choice basis to the cows. Oat straw is more palatable than barley straw, which cows don’t particularly enjoy.
Oat is an annual grass native to China. It grows up to 1.2 meters in height and has a fibrous root system. Its leaves are linear, alternate, and acuminate, and range in size from 15 to 40 cm long. The inflorescence is loose, and the terminal panicle bears pendulous spikelets with two overlapping glumes. The fruit of the oat plant is a hairy cylindrical caryopsis. Its hulls protect the seed.
Oat straw can be included in the TMR of lactating cows. This dietary supplement helps improve rumination and increase rumen fill. It also reduces milk fever and digestive disorders. It can also help reduce cation-anion differences. However, it must be used sparingly during the last trimester.
Among the various types of straws, oat straw has higher protein and energy than barley straw and wheat straw. However, it has a lower feed value than wheat and rye straw. It is also more digestible when it is more than a year old.
The chemical composition of oat straw affects the digestibility of the feed. Higher quality oat straws are digested faster compared to low-quality oat straw. In general, the digestion of roughage takes three days. It is best to alternate between poor-quality and high-quality forage on different days of the week.
Oat straw can be ammoniated to improve the nutritional value. However, the use of ammoniated forages must be done with care because the feed is prone to toxicity. In some cases, the intake of ammoniated forages can lead to hyper-excitement in lactating cow calves, which can result in death.
Barley straw
Barley straw is a good source of nutrients for cattle. It is made up of 40% grain, 17% chaff, and 18% leaves and stems. It is high in fiber and low in crude protein. Depending on the cultivar, barley straw may have higher or lower nutrient content. It can be fed either fresh or aged. However, a year-old barley straw is often more palatable than a newer variety. It is important to keep in mind that the chaff may contain prussic acid, so it is best to test for prussic acid content before giving your cattle this feed.
During the winter months, cattle producers may choose to supplement their cows’ diet with straw to provide more nutrients. While straw alone cannot replace hay, producers must balance the winter ration by adding vitamins and minerals to ensure a balanced diet for their cattle. While all types of straws are low in crude protein and energy, they can meet the nutritional needs of cattle when combined with other forages.
Generally, the protein and fibre content of straw vary considerably. It is important to test all of the key lots of straw before combining them into a diet. For these tests, it is necessary to measure the total dry matter, crude protein, fat, NDFD, and ash. Once the nutrients are determined, they can be used to calculate energy levels for rations.
The nutritional value of barley straw varies depending on how it is grown and whether it is spring or fall-sown. Spring-sown straw has a higher nutritive value, but this is not consistent between batches. Supplementation with NH3 will increase the nutritional value of straw, but it is not a guaranteed solution. Moreover, the nutritional value of straw is less than what is required for breeding cows, which will require higher protein and energy content.
Another type of barley straw that is useful for cows is barley hay. The two are similar in terms of milk yield and live weight loss. In an experiment in Syria, barley hay and UTS were mixed in rations of lactating ewes. In the same study, the UTS was used to replace barley hay and leguminous hay in rations of dairy cows.
