Producing & Handling Straw
How to create straw from cereal harvests, collect it loose or in bales, and use it for bedding or Total Mixed Ration.
Where straw comes from
Wheat, barley and oat can leave a straw swath behind the combine when straw swath is enabled. The grain still goes into the combine; straw is the separate residue left in rows.
Collect loose or bale it
A forage wagon collects loose straw directly from the swath. A baler compresses it into bales for easier storage and handling. Use a bale loader, bale fork or telehandler/front loader to move bales.
Procedure
- Grow and harvest a straw-producing cereal.
- Enable straw swath on the combine before harvesting the area where straw is wanted.
- Harvest normally and leave the straw rows behind.
- Collect the rows with a forage wagon, or run a baler over them.
- Move bales with a bale fork/loader or unload loose straw where needed.
- Use straw as compatible animal bedding or as an optional TMR filler within the mixer limits.
Equipment & tools
Open an equipment page for what the machine does, how to set it up and how to operate it.
Detailed procedure guides
Alternative options
Loose straw
Forage wagon collection is fast to unload into bulk-compatible areas.
Forage wagon collection is fast to unload into bulk-compatible areas.
Baled straw
Bales are easier to stack, transport and meter into a mixer wagon.
Bales are easier to stack, transport and meter into a mixer wagon.
Practical tips
- Do not enable straw swath if you have no use or collection plan for it.