Loose hay in cut field, Do i turn out??

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AmynPeanut

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We've just recently bought a new piece of land, it has been unmaintained for 2 years now and was full of thistle and docs.
Had a local farmer friend come and top it all for us but now we have a field full of cut hay and weeds!!

We have picked up about two thirds of a two acre field by hand (in the blistering heat, very hard work) and burnt it but have over a third left to go and now it is all wet, heavy and wont burn.

Any way i'm worried about turning boys out there in case of laminitus or colic, should i be worried?? someone said it should be fine as its only when hay is baled and not left long enough when it causes problems (something to do with heat??)!

What do you reckon? Should i try and clear the field entirely before putting boys out??
 
You burnt it?!? Didn't the farmer want it for his cattle?

I wouldn't turn out on it, to be honest. Your advisor is probably talking about fermenting hay, which hasn't been dried for long enough, but freshly cut hay left in rows or heaps will also ferment, especially in this hot weather. Grass also produces stress hormones/chemicals upon cutting, which need time to degrade.

I would section off the remaining third for now and use the 2/3 you have cleared. Being the owner of a freshly diagnosed laminitic who HASN'T been on excess grass and knowing how many laminitics there are around this year, I simply wouldn't take the chance.
 
Farmer didnt want it, weed content was very high! been out tonight and looked it over, actually far less there then i thought, and cos its got wet, its begining to rot and smell.

turned lads out and kept a very close eye on them for at least two hours. they havent touched the hay/weeds, very content with the fresh grass, so leaving them out!

thanks for your help though
 
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