Grain and Straw management

[RonEmpire]

Is there a way to stop feeding Animals Straw so that you can use the Straws to repair your buildings or build with straws.

Currently I have a surplus of Grain and would rather have animals be feed grain instead of straws.

If there is no way to set the conditions for this- this feature is something we need.

[Aieonae]

Nope they eat grass 3 of the seasons, and only straws in the winter.

Sadly no option for grains.

[Nick]

But they eat grain if you are out of straw

[Aieonae]

Originally posted by Bulldog:

But they eat grain if you are out of straw

Do they? Its an interesting development indeed🤯

[RonEmpire]

They eat grain when you're out of straws. Which depletes your straw supply for repairing the buildings.

I propose a "reserve" limit on straws from feeding animals so that there is a backup reserve for repairs.

[requiemfang]

From what I understand from dev posts, they plan to add the option to be able to feed one or the other depending on player choice which certainly would help out with the current issue of animals outeating your straw supply.

[RonEmpire]

It should be an easy solution via the stables having the button be highlighted like auto crafting. or like how the granary storage works where you choose what to store.

that would work for the stable. or maybe in the resource limits - there can be an animal feeding option there - to limit how much is allowed or reserved.

[Pappa]

I think a better option would be to increase the fertility rate of the livestock because currently the player has to create heard sizes quite large or be faced with the chance that a herds will die off to often or not be able to maintain its size. currently sheep seem to be a real problem if you don't set a herd size of at least 20 you run a real risk of losing a herd and having to rebuild it way to often to be comfortable, If we could maintain herd sizes at 10 to 15 say then we could manage straw much better. but as is your better off sticking to only one or two animal types and larger herd sizes just to keep from beating up your straw storage. It seems that the transition to grain and domesticated animals doesn't quite improve the population and tech advancements the way it should. It should be easier to feed and maintain food and resource levels within this era than it currently is. After all domestication of grain and animals was the key to our eventual current status and away from the hunter gather stage. without it our current world and tech wouldn't be possible. It is the only reason we were able to build and support large city states and large populations.

[icarus40]

sadly, nothing ever came of their intentions to manage straw and grain consumption.

[threethreethree]

Just plan accordingly your straw and grain production and stores. Controlling straw or grain feeding wouldn't be a bad thing at all, but this has been a non-issue for me. One of the possibly least of concerns.

[Mk Z]

you can build stuff in autumn while theres enough straw

[Mk Z]

Originally posted by Pappa:

I think a better option would be to increase the fertility rate of the livestock because currently the player has to create heard sizes quite large or be faced with the chance that a herds will die off to often or not be able to maintain its size. currently sheep seem to be a real problem if you don't set a herd size of at least 20 you run a real risk of losing a herd and having to rebuild it way to often to be comfortable, If we could maintain herd sizes at 10 to 15 say then we could manage straw much better. but as is your better off sticking to only one or two animal types and larger herd sizes just to keep from beating up your straw storage. It seems that the transition to grain and domesticated animals doesn't quite improve the population and tech advancements the way it should. It should be easier to feed and maintain food and resource levels within this era than it currently is. After all domestication of grain and animals was the key to our eventual current status and away from the hunter gather stage. without it our current world and tech wouldn't be possible. It is the only reason we were able to build and support large city states and large populations.

fertility rate is already increased with the 0.67 female ratio in offspring. not sure if its enough to compensate for the shorter lifespan (IRL sheep can procreate until 7-8 years old).
agriculture/stock breeding wasnt easier than hunting/gathering, people turned to it out of necessity

[Mk Z]

idea: place haystacks inside a small walled area and lock the gates in winter?

[gehebson]

Originally posted by Mk Z:

idea: place haystacks inside a small walled area and lock the gates in winter?

Not a bad idea. But we should be able to choose to feed grain over straw.

[buds]

Repairs/building using straw are imo prioritized. What I normally do is place structures that needs straw during fall harvest and villagers will place straw. This way I will be left with fewer straws than grains.
Since straw is immediately placed on stables during winter your structures needing straw will not be done immediately.