Is straw very bad for them to eat?

[CiaraPatricia]

Hey guys. I started using straw as bedding during the winter, to keep them warmer and because it doesn't get as damp as hay, the water seems to run through it, and my pigs are outdoors in a shed, so they had to stay warm. I know that it is risky because of it poking their eyes and all, but I do think it's a good bedding for them and they love it.

But the thing is, they eat it loads! They have plenty of hay and food, but they love eating straw. Is this a big problem?

The dry food I feed them has cereals in it anyway. Is straw very bad, or is it just as bad as cereals in general?

Thanks

 

[Shellza]

I know straw can be bad for horses as it can cause bloat, but I don't know about pigs. I know it is generally seen as too coarse to use as bedding, but as I child I always used to bed them on straw aswell hay in the winter, but then that was always down to my mum.
I can't really help you there.

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Thanks anyway

The straw hasn't caused a problem yet, hopefully it won't . . . but I'm not sure whether to move back to shavings or not, because shavings have their own problems! Even dust extracted ones have some dust . . . It's a dilemma ?/

They really love the straw, running through it and they're so happy when I put in new straw, they run around squeaking and do laps and jump on their houses and everything! And my dad would prefer me to use straw because he says shavings take too long to rot away (I just throw the old shavings in a pile in the corner of the garden) rolleyes Also they seem to chew the shavings and eat them, which I'm not sure is good or bad :{ I mean they chew wood, but can they eat shavings? :{

I could just use hay I guess, but I just don't like it as much as bedding . . .

 

[Under the weather]

What about flax? My pigs seem to like it, it doesn't have the problems of shavings or straw, and you can get it in bales from your local equine supply shop.