Editing Straw (section)

===Animal feed===
[[File:A traditional method of storing wheat hay in Punjab.jpg|thumb|A traditional method of storing wheat hay in Punjab.]]

Straw may be fed as part of the [[roughage]] component of the diet to cattle or horses that are on a near maintenance level of energy requirement. It has a low digestible energy and nutrient content (as opposed to [[hay]], which is much more nutritious). The heat generated when microorganisms in a herbivore's gut digest straw can be useful in maintaining body temperature in cold climates. Due to the risk of [[impaction (animals)|impaction]] and its poor nutrient profile, it should always be restricted to part of the diet.  It may be fed as it is, or chopped into short lengths, known as [[chaff]].