Stained Straw Bale Supply
Stained straw is wheat and barley straw that was rained on during or after the harvest, losing colour and quality and with it most of its value as animal feed. Hard to sell on the feed market, it becomes an income for the producer and affordable biomass for industry when used as fuel. Biyolink collects stained straw in large bales and delivers it to industrial plants.
What Is Stained Straw?
If straw left in the field after the wheat and barley harvest is rained on before it is baled or stored, it becomes spotted, darkens and loses nutritional value. Farmers avoid it as feed, but as a fuel it keeps most of its calorific value.
The main sources are grain regions such as Konya, Ankara, Eskişehir and Thrace. Harvesting and baling run from June to August; for year-round use the bales are stored dry and covered.
Typical Technical Values
| Property | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Net calorific value | About 3,000–3,500 kcal/kg |
| Moisture | 10–20% (in dry bales) |
| Ash | 5–9% |
| Bale | Large square bales, mostly 250–450 kg |
| Form | Bales; shredded on site before feeding |
These are typical ranges from published sources; actual values vary by lot, source and moisture. We share a laboratory analysis of every lot with our quote.
Where Is Stained Straw Used?
Straw is high in ash and alkali (potassium, chlorine), so to limit slagging it is burned in boilers designed for straw or blended with other biomass.
- Alternative fuel in cement kilns
- Biomass boilers and power plants designed for bales
- Blends with wood chips, stalks and similar fuels
- Raw material for pellets and briquettes
Transport and Delivery
Bales travel by truck under tarpaulin and are unloaded by forklift or bale clamp. To stop further deterioration they should be stored under cover and off the ground.
What Determines the Price of Stained Straw?
Stained straw costs less than feed-grade straw. We build our quote around:
- Degree of staining and moisture
- Bale weight and density
- Distance from the collection area to the delivery point
- That year’s harvest and straw supply
Have Stained Straw to Sell?
Biyolink buys straw as fuel that you cannot sell on the feed market because it was rained on. Sign up to the marketplace for free and list it; share the number of bales and location and we will send our price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can stained straw be used as fuel?
Yes. Rain-damaged straw loses its feed value but keeps most of its calorific value. Published sources give straw a net calorific value of about 3,000–3,500 kcal/kg; we share an analysis of every lot.
How much does a straw bale weigh?
Large square bales mostly weigh 250–450 kg and small bales 15–25 kg. Industrial supply uses large bales.
Which boilers can burn straw?
Because of its high ash and alkali content, boilers designed for straw, or straw as part of a blend. Share your boiler specification and we will assess suitability together.
How can I sell my straw?
Sign up to our marketplace for free and create a listing, or message us on WhatsApp. Tell us where the bales are, how many there are and roughly what they weigh.
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