Fusty smelling hay

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kat2290

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Some of my bales of hay have a very musty fusty smell to them, sometimes with a covering of blueish dust (or are these spores?) if you look very closely. Not all the fusty smelling bales have the dust on them, and the rest of my bales smell lovely like hay should. I have got a new load of hay today and most of the new bales are pretty fusty, my store now has a distinctly fusty smell when you walk inside!

Is the smell a bad sign? And the blue dust, is that mould or something else? I've never seen any proper mould in any of the bales, there are no black/grey patches either. Unfortunately neither of my ponios will eat hay if it is wet so I can't damp it down to remove the dust, I just do my best to shake it out before I feed them it. I've tried getting it from 3 different places and all have had some bales which smell like this and/or have the blue dust!

I don't know anything about hay or it's production so I would love to hear from somebody who does!
 
kat2290 said:
Some of my bales of hay have a very musty fusty smell to them, sometimes with a covering of blueish dust (or are these spores?) if you look very closely. Not all the fusty smelling bales have the dust on them, and the rest of my bales smell lovely like hay should. I have got a new load of hay today and most of the new bales are pretty fusty, my store now has a distinctly fusty smell when you walk inside!

Is the smell a bad sign? And the blue dust, is that mould or something else? I've never seen any proper mould in any of the bales, there are no black/grey patches either. Unfortunately neither of my ponios will eat hay if it is wet so I can't damp it down to remove the dust, I just do my best to shake it out before I feed them it. I've tried getting it from 3 different places and all have had some bales which smell like this and/or have the blue dust!

I don't know anything about hay or it's production so I would love to hear from somebody who does!
Click to expand...

Sounds mouldy to me . . . hay should smell sweet . . . contact supplier and get him to replace.

P
 
I've had a quick look at mouldy hay images and old forum posts on google and most talk about black patches in the bale or on the outside, or dampness. I have neither of these in my bales it's just the smell and the dust... But I have tried 3 different people now and from all of them I have had bales like this so I started thinking that must just be what you get sometimes! I have a feeling if I tried to take them back they wouldn't think there was anything wrong with them!
 
Blue dust sounds like mould to me, think of the colour on a piece of cheese that is left too long, black patches are wet mould the blue stuff is less obvious but probably more harmful to their lungs as they will inhale with every mouthful, if you really cannot take them back or avoid using some soak it well and it should be safer. Shaking it and inhaling the dust yourself can be very harmful so be careful when handling it, farmers lung is a serious condition caused by this type of dust and mould.
 
Yes I see what you mean about the blue cheese mold! Hmmm...maybe I should put my brave pants on and see if they will swap it for me!

Thanks guys :)
 
I have my hay cut off my own field and have no proper storage. One problem I have is blue mould spores on the side of the bales where the cut ends are. I attribute this to them getting damp. The bales themselves look fine, no wet patches, black mould etc literally just this dusty blue mould and they smell fusty. Personally I throw these bales away but I think most people would not even notice.

If I bought in hay like this I would be returning it!

Edited to add I know the hay was dried properly when baled and it is only some of my bales which are affected
 
The blue dust you are describing sounds like yeast spores to me. Which suggests the hay has properly gone of. Personally I wouldn't feed my horses this and would do as others have said and ask your supplier to replace.
 
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