Midrash for Shabbat 24:2

מַתִּירִין פְּקִיעֵי עָמִיר לִפְנֵי בְהֵמָה, וּמְפַסְפְּסִים אֶת הַכֵּפִין, אֲבָל לֹא אֶת הַזֵּרִין. אֵין מְרַסְּקִין לֹא אֶת הַשַּׁחַת וְלֹא אֶת הֶחָרוּבִין לִפְנֵי בְהֵמָה, בֵּין דַּקָּה בֵּין גַּסָּה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מַתִּיר בֶּחָרוּבִין לַדַּקָּה:

It is permitted to untie bundles of sheaves before a beast (on Shabbath). [For so long as they are tied, they are not (ready) food, and they are untied to render them food. But to scatter them, as grass is scattered before animals, so that they smell them and find them appetizing — this is forbidden with bundles of sheaves. For since they are rendered food with the untying of the bundles, the scattering only provides for greater enjoyment, and it is forbidden to exert oneself (on Shabbath) for something which is already food.] It is permitted to scatter kifin [moist rice leaves. It is permitted to scatter and spread them out before the beast to smell. For without such scattering it is not food], but not zirin. [They are the same as "pekiei amir" ("bundles of sheaves," above) but whereas peki'in have two ties, one on either end, zirin have three ties. And even though they are tightly compressed and generate heat, so that the animal shuns them, still, he is permitted only to free the three ties, rendering them "food," as peki'in.] It is forbidden to cut up both grain-grass or carobs as fodder for a beast, either large or small, [this being (regarded as) unnecessary exertion]. R. Yehudah permits it with carobs for a small animal, [it being hard for a small animal to chew carobs with its thin teeth. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah.]

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