Posted 2010-06-27 9:57 AM (#121586) Subject: new hay
Veteran
Posts: 153 Location: Grant City, Missouri
I have a question regarding freshly baled hay. I've always been told not to feed freshly baled hay. Is this true? What is the reason? We put up hay yesterday and couldn't get it all put in the barn before it rained. I was thinking of busting open some of the bales this morning to feed but I remembered that caution. Since they are in the dry lot to prevent founder, it makes sense that this new hay would still be very rich so that would be the reason not to feed. Is that the reasoning? Just wondering. Thanks!
Posted 2010-06-27 10:01 PM (#121633 - in reply to #121630) Subject: RE: new hay
Elite Veteran
Posts: 781 Location: La Cygne, KS
You have heard the same thing I have on freshly baled hay. The reason behind it is the ongoing fermentation that the hay undergoes to cure. You have also probably heard of hay bales catching fire; this is do to the fermantation process of damp baled hay. Sometimes fresh hay can cause some horses to become colicky due to the change of hay itself.
The greatest factor on whether or not to feed freshly baled hay is how well it was able to cure in the field prior to being put up. This year in Kansas it has been so wet that the ground still contains a lot of moisture so it is taking longer to cure the hay not to mention the high humidity. Another factor is the type of grass hay. Some types of grass hay contain more moisture than others. Prairie hay tends to cure quicker than brohm or orchard grass.
But if your area is dry and the hay was properly baled (not rained on or put up in the rain) and allowed to cure prior to baling, then I wouldn't worry too much about feeding it. I've fed 3 day old hay before with no ill effects on the horses.
Posted 2010-06-27 11:04 PM (#121635 - in reply to #121586) Subject: RE: new hay
Veteran
Posts: 153 Location: Grant City, Missouri
PT, that sounds right. I thought I'd been told that. It needs to finish curing. Well, here in North Missouri we have had so much rain, but we managed to catch 4 dry days so we were able to get our hay up in good shape. We just ran out of time and couldn't get it all put up before dark and then it just had to rain. I didn't feed any of that new hay and for sure wouldn't do it now.
Posted 2010-06-27 11:20 PM (#121636 - in reply to #121586) Subject: RE: new hay
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
That sounds reasonible. Here in Utah where our summers are 90* and 15% humidity. We don't have a lot of problem getting the hay dry. So maybe thats why its not something I hear about.
Posted 2010-06-28 4:55 PM (#121674 - in reply to #121643) Subject: RE: new hay
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
Regardless of how dry the hay is when it is baled, all hay goes thru a curing process(sometimes called a sweat). During this process the hay can be noxious to horses. If you want to feed freshly baled hay, cut it open right away to prevent the curing from taking place. Grasses go thru less of a cure than do legumes, but all hay does to some extent. Many horses don't have a problem with fresh cut grasses, if it's not baled to wet. However, if grasses are dried too much before baling, you might as well feed straw. Neither one is very nutritious.
Posted 2010-06-28 9:45 PM (#121687 - in reply to #121586) Subject: RE: new hay
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 522 Location: Tucumcari NM
I farmed hay for a living for many years. Mostly alfalfa, but some grass as well. Yes, hay does go through a curing process, and that is done in the field prior to baling. If someone bales a bale of hay that is too wet, that indeed is a problem. That is why moisture checkers are made and most farmers carry one in their baler. A properly baled bale of hay will not harm your animals whether it has been in the bale for one hour or ten years.
Posted 2010-07-01 7:40 AM (#121784 - in reply to #121586) Subject: RE: new hay
Regular
Posts: 93 Location: ark/ok border
We bale all our on hay and hay for the race track and lots of local horse onwers so yes it does go thru a curing process,but we make sure it is dried properly before baling! But no matter what u do u will have dews and even hay in the barn will draw so moisture so what we do and tell our customers to do is when u put it in the barn throw a hand ful of white salt on each bale. Not only will this help with any moisture it also helps in the winter to make sure they are drinking plenty of water as well as put some flavor to it. We put up about 1000 sq bales a yr and in 30 yrs have never had a horse to colic in the winter from not drinking enough water. And when u put up that many bales u gonna bust a few so we just throws those to the horses cause they will pull off a few from the trailer any lol. But our horses are on pasture yr round not in stalls, also all fresh cut hay will have higher protein content that hay that has been put up for several months! The big thing is to make sure it cured well BEFORE baling.
Posted 2010-07-02 9:24 PM (#121844 - in reply to #121586) Subject: RE: new hay
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 544 Location: Claxton, Ga.
Most of the time folks that have an issue are the people that ran out of hay or feed too too much of it. The horses are not used to it an colic. Two years ago when folks were struggling to get hay because of no rain, when they finally got hay, the vet was BUSY!!!!!!!!! I prefer not to feed fresh hay. If you have too, feed a little less and no free choice hay. Been there, done that, won't do it again.
new hay
