hay - when ready to feed

[thomb]

Hi there

Am looking for a little help regarding our hay. it was cut on 14th of june, and baled on 16th, how long until it can be fed to my horses? Thanks

 

[Swirlymurphy]

Depends how dry it is. Ours was cut and baled within a few days and was used almost immediately as it was totally dry.

 

[Ani]

Ours are eating this years hay already mixed with last years.

The farmer asked how soon would we be willing to use it, I said 6 months ideally but not less than 2 months after cutting, he was running out of old hay so brought in some new and we are mixing it at the moment, it is ok because the first cut dried well this year.

 

[spaniel]

Open your new bale up 24 hours before you want to use it and ease the flaps apart. That way any residual heat and damp will disperse.

Theres no reason that I can find which says you have to wait to feed new hay (other than the obvious tummy/lami risks) and have always fed new hay straight away.

Introduce slowly in small amounts or mix with the old (and watch them pick through and just eat the new stuff!) as you would any new feed.

I think a lot of the confusion comes from historically not starting to use the new crop until the autumn so it would last you through the winter!

 

[Mike007]

There is absolutely no problem feeding new hay,there is nothing special about it. Its just like any change of feed, it needs to be introduced gradualy to give the gut flora time to adjust.

 

[teddyt]

There is absolutely no problem feeding new hay,there is nothing special about it. Its just like any change of feed, it needs to be introduced gradualy to give the gut flora time to adjust.

Ditto this

 

[Heidi1]

We are currently mixing this years and last years, basically as above, introduce it gradually....