Hay soaking quesion

[melissa1971]

Unfortunatly my hay is a bit dusty this year,nothing too bad but im wanting to soak it before feeding so I'm just wondering how long you can leave it draining after soaking and rinsing..

I feed hay at night which is no problem but on a morning they get a net around 6.30 normally its tied up outside the stable and I nip out in my p'js and throw it in, I dont want to be messing about soaking it on a morning so wondered if I soaked it the night before would it be ok to drain 12hours overnight before feeding???

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Time depends on how much sugars you want out.
why you need to soak


If its just to get the dust out I would soak it around 20 mins enough time for the dust particles to swell so they will go down to stomach or in water and not up nose.


Its its a lamini etc 12 hrs soaking then rinsing
but as you say its just dust then I would do the 20 mins p
ut in haynet and leave to drain or do this
if is fed in a hay bar then you just lift the basket and put it in.
http://equinecare-and-control.weebly.com/useful-ideas.html.


you can just turn the hose on it briefly and leave to drain. Burt if its as dusty as you say I would be worried that when it dried it would still have dust unless you fed straight away.

 

[be positive]

I soak hay for my laminitic pony, it gets about 16 hours soaking overnight, all day to drain and is fed in the afternoon and a second lot late evening, this seems fine, it does get put out of the sun so it does not dry out. I think leaving yours overnight would be ok but not hanging up in direct sun or in a breeze where it dries too much.

 

[BurlingtonBertie]

Optimum time for hay soaking - 20 minutes according to Writtle College research a few years ago.

 

[ribbons]

Think op was asking about draining time not soaking time.
I would say it's fine to hang draining all night, and easier to handle with no drips and less weight from water. My only concern would be on really cold nights would it be frozen and not so good for tummies.

 

[BurlingtonBertie]

Oh sorry agree with ribbons. Cold/frozen hay would not be good!! Leaving it drained for a few hours is fine but wouldn't leave it much longer than that...might start to ferment?

 

[sidonnel]

Ok......I have been through this and would really URGE YOU not to use the dusty hay!! I know that it can be very hard to find good hay, esp with the bad Summer we have had but it is REALLY not worth it in the long run.

I have been there, soaked the hay thinking it would be ok- bottom line, it wasn't, my horse ended up having to have a scope and then being treated for COPD.

I had someone come and take samples of everything in our yard, the stable walls, the yard, external samples and take some samples of the hay. The yard was perfect, well ventilated, bedding was dust free and not deep litter & changed regularly. The samples for the yard came back clean i.e. no risk factors for the horse. The samples for the hay were another matter- I was told not to use it unless it was steamed, or to use haylage instead. I asked about soaking and was told that it simply did not work!Steaming does work but is expensive! And the scientist (who often lectures veterinary surgeons) who had carried out all the investigations does not work for haygain I assure you!In fact he was of the opinion that good hay is better for horses than haylage but is really hard to get these days!

If you are in doubt about your hay please get it tested as soaking does not work- it may take a while for the symptoms to manifest but once a horse is exposed to the allergen once and they react to it, then they will likely have the same type of reaction each time they are re-exposed to any sort of dust/mould.

Hope this helps- thankfully my horse is fine now, but only with very careful management and it means being careful about going away to overnight comps too in case the stabling conditions aren't up to scratch!

PM me if any more info needed!

 

[LCH611]

steaming needn't be expensive - a kettle load of water into a dustbin with a lid on?

 

[honeychop]

www.steamneasy.co.uk

 

[Horses24-7]

www.steamneasy.co.uk

^^^^^^^

Is that a wheelie bin with a wallpaper steamer attached? for £250

- off to 'borrow' the wheelie bin hoping the husband doesn't notice!

 

[Horses24-7]

steaming needn't be expensive - a kettle load of water into a dustbin with a lid on?

On a serious note go with this ^^^^

 

[LaurenBay]

I asked a similar quesion to this a couple of weeks ago. I soak mine for 20-30 minutes, tie up and leave for 8 hours (whilst I'm at work and shes in field) to drip dry. It is still damp when I put it in the stable. Haven't heard her cough at all. So seems to be ok.

 

[smac]

I would put in a bin with lid. Poor two loads boiled kettle over it. Then take out judt before feeding. Wont be too heavy or wet.
Sure there is someting in what sidonnel said. Some hay suppliers will swap if less than perfect bales? Our farmer v.good if i say horses arnt eating can they swap. Even on just worst few bales.

 

[JB Eventer]

I want to feed my horse soaked hay to reduce the sugar content but where we live it is already -7 degrees and paddock covered in snow. My horse lives outside. She shares a paddock with one other horse and they are fed hay 4 times a day. The other horse is not overweight but the stable owner is not that keen to feed soaked hay due to weight and added hassle and I am also worried that the hay will freeze fast once in the paddock and be hard on her tummy. Ideas? She is pretty overweight and the hay very green and rich.

 

[Ginger Bear]

I soak all my hay, one reason is one of our tbs doesn't drink much & the other one either runs out of water if hay is dry & sometimes gets a cough. I literally either dunk it or hose it & that's it.. I think it's fine to leave overnight till the morning, won't ferment that quick! But as others have said if hanging outside u dont want it freezing if weather is very cold.. Maybe cover it over with tarpaulin or something?

 

[Ebenezer_Scrooge]

www.steamneasy.co.uk

Are they any good? I am looking for a steamer that is safe to use electric wise.