How long to leave hay for...

[BlackIrishBeauty]

Hi,

I've just bought 30 bales of hay that was baled 26th June. How long do I need to leave it before feeding?

Also another question- how long would you expect one small bale to last 1 480kg horse and 2 small ponies at around 250Kg each?

Larger horse will have around 7KG haynet a day and the other 2 will have 3kg each a day only at night... no haying in the field.

 

[QuantockHills]

I wont use this years hay until October... and a small bale would only last me about 1.5 days but my horse is a 17hh irish draught....

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

The easy way to work out how long a bale will last, feeding 13kg per day, is to weigh a bale.

 

[Patterdale]

I have been feeding June hay for 2 weeks now. It was baled very dry.

Each to their own but I always feed hay after around 2 weeks. If it’s good quality and baled dry enough I’ve always found it to be absolutely fine.

 

[ycbm]

Other countries feed it immediately if it was baled dry enough. In this country the usual rule seems to be 10 weeks.
.

 

[Highmileagecob]

As long as the bales are cool and not still 'cooking' you should be ok. I would agree with QuantockHills, a small bale probably won't last more than a couple of days.

 

[Carlosmum]

If its properly made. ie fully dry and no rain you can feed immediately. If its at all damp its not much good anyway and I would use as cattle hay

 

[Surbie]

Hi,

I've just bought 30 bales of hay that was baled 26th June. How long do I need to leave it before feeding?

Also another question- how long would you expect one small bale to last 1 480kg horse and 2 small ponies at around 250Kg each?

Larger horse will have around 7KG haynet a day and the other 2 will have 3kg each a day only at night... no haying in the field.

I go on a bale weighing roughly 20kg, though some are more/less. On that basis you'll get 2 x7kg nets and 2 x3kg nets out of each and your bales will last 46-47 days. You might be lucky and have heavier bales that will get you to 50 days.

 

[Landcruiser]

My supplier is right out of last year's hay so now supplying this years. It's beautiful hay, from proper old meadows with no rye grass. I'm feeding it now, but you've worried me - why would I not feed it yet? It's that or haylage (again, this year's) or nothing for my horses on a very restricted area of grazing and a track. What's the thinking?

 

[tda]

I have previously tried to always be feeding last years hay, but if not possible at least a couple of months old
My neighbour doesn't mind feeding new hay

 

[twiggy2]

My 15.1hh mare in medium qork would eat 3/4 of a be each night and was on grass during the day.
She wasn't fat either.

 

[BlackIrishBeauty]

My supplier is right out of last year's hay so now supplying this years. It's beautiful hay, from proper old meadows with no rye grass. I'm feeding it now, but you've worried me - why would I not feed it yet? It's that or haylage (again, this year's) or nothing for my horses on a very restricted area of grazing and a track. What's the thinking?

I never knew it was a thing until I saw a post on Facebook about it... Hence why I purchased in the first place.

It's to do with the hay not being completely dry and can ferment in their bellies causing issues.

 

[rabatsa]

The thing is to change to the new hay gradually and then no chopping about between old and new. I seem to think that this advice was given in the 1970's, in H&H when drought caused severe hay shortages.