Hay steaming question

Troggy

Troggy

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I thought I would experiment by steaming Beano's hay tonight instead of soaking (Will still soak Toff's as she needs the nutritional value lowered...). I put his hay in a feed bag, poured a kettle of water in, did bag up and left for about 6-7 minutes. I then put in his stable (drained and out of bag!). Is this the best way to go about it? Also as he is out at night, I do their hay when I muck out at night, so will it be ok after sitting in stable all night? Or does it only work if fed straight away? Worried that it may ferment as in a pile??
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Sorry many questions!
 
i wouldn't leave it in the stable overnight, absorbing ammonia. i'd do it just before you bring him in, even if you have to take a flask of boiling water with you or something, for speed.
i think that's the best way to do it, although someone on here recommended using a wallpaper steamer with the hose going into a bin... great idea!
 
Ok thanks. It's on rubber mats well away from the bedding which is Megazorb so no smell etc but I suppose it could still soak it up.
Thanks!
 
What I used to do was set the hay to steam, fetch the ned in, then feed the hay. Works pretty well.
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I love the smell of steamed hay too!
 
Steaming the permanently swells the dust spores (at least that is what I have been led to believe), unlike soaking in cold water. When hay that has been soaked is allowed to dry, the dust and pollen spores, return to their previous state.

As you're soaking Toffs hay to decrease the nutritional value, then doing it the night before should be no prob - or the steaming it tbh. I love steaming hay - smells so good!
 
I was always taught to put it in a dustbin and pour a kettle of boiling water over it. I was told to do it in the morning to feed in the evening, as you had to wait for it to cool. My horse never coughed on it and it was always still damp.
 
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