Back to Top Hay is a mixture of different plants , including grasses, alfalfa, clover and timothy. Hay is used as a food source for animals. Northern climates, such as Michigan, have short growing seasons, so hay may only be cut for 4 months. Hay is dried for several days after cutting, raked into piles and then baled. It is essential for the days following cutting to be dry.
Straw is a by-product of oats and wheat.
Straw is used for bedding. After the grain is harvested away, the plant it grows on is left to dry. After a few days of drying, the straw is then baled up. Because the grain is gone, little nutrition is left for the animals. A ruminant is any animal with multiple stomach chambers and no upper teeth in the front.