Is hay bad if it gets wet?
Is hay bad if it gets wet?
If rained-on hay is not again dried fully, mold and mycotoxin growth can occur which can put livestock health at risk. Furthermore, baled wet hay can combust due to the temperature increase caused by microbial growth – putting a producer at risk of barn fire.
Do horses like wet hay?
Most horses really enjoy soaked hay, but some miss the sugar that soaking removes. If you are only soaking to help chewing and digestion, fluff the hay slightly and soak in just enough water to cover it with the hay packed tightly into the soaking container. This will ensure that more water gets soaked into the hay.
Can you bale hay when it’s wet?
If the hay was almost dry when it rained, he says to use a hay preservative and bale it a little on the wet side. However, if hay bales are too wet, mold can grow and give off heat, creating a fire hazard. You can reduce this risk by not stacking the bales.
What do you do with hay that got rained on?
With severely rain damaged hay, it may better to leave it on the field, chop it up with a rotary mower to speed decomposition and minimize shading of the next crop.
How do you deal with wet hay?
Anderson recommends moving the hay any way possible — bale it; chop it, or even blow it back on the ground as mulch. “You may need to damage plants by driving on them to turn hay to speed drying and get sunlight to plants underneath.
Why do horses need wet hay?
Many studies have shown soaking hay can reduce respirable particle concentration by at least 88%. Soaking can also reduce the amount of mold present. Nutrient content Some horse owners soak their hay to reduce the amount of sugars, or nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC), in the forage.
Do horses eat dry hay?
Feeding dry hay. This choice is fine for most horses. Feeding hay from the ground, whether in a stall or in the pasture, allows the horse to carry its head and neck in the most natural way while feeding.
What do you do with wet hay?
How long does wet hay last?
You can store hay indefinitely if the stack is managed correctly; although, in humid climates, using hay within three years of harvest is ideal. Hay growers need to bale it at correct moisture levels because if it’s baled too damp the hay will generate heat, which leads to molding.
Can wet hay be dried?
For more than a bale or two of freshly wet hay, you can make an attempt at drying it before mold can grow. However, this is going to take some time and space; it may or may not be worth it for your farm. Keep the wet hay in a dry area, where the water can evaporate quickly.
Why do horses eat hay and not grass?
Many pleasure and trail horses don’t need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn’t enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse’s calories should always come from roughage. Horses are meant to eat roughage, and their digestive system is designed to use the nutrition in grassy stalks.
How do you feed a horse soaked hay?
A better approach is to place the flake in a hay net and then dunk it in a large bucket of fresh water. To make sure the hay is thoroughly saturated, hold it beneath the water until no bubbles emerge, a process that will take less than a minute.
How to feed a horse that won’t eat hay?
Feed hay outside. In severe cases, replace hay with hay cubes. Soak dusty hay for 5 to 30 minutes before feeding so that the horse can eat it while it’s wet. Store hay away from your horse if possible. Make sure any hay nearby is kept dry to prevent mold.
What is the difference between dry hay and wet horse hay?
Wet horse hay simply easier to chew. Fresh grass is at least 80% water, while cut grass dried and baled as horse hay is usually 10% or less water. This difference is why even horses with poor teeth can usually hold their own on good pasture. Wet horse hay simply easier to chew.
Is it safe to feed hay right after harvest?
Hay put up with 12% or less moisture isn’t going to go through much fermentation, if any, and is safe to feed right after harvest. Hay that does ferment will lose some nutritional value and could become moldy and dusty. The level of nutrient loss, mold, and dust will depend on the moisture level.
Is it safe to feed horses moldy hay?
Most molds don’t produce mycotoxins (mold toxins), but any moldy feed has the chance of having mold toxins. Watch animals for mold toxin symptoms if you feed moldy hay. It’s best to not feed horses moldy hay or grain. Table 1. Feeding risks at various mold spore counts