more about steaming hay

[BigRed]

There has been a lot on here recently about steaming hay. I rigged up a steamer (using a wall paper stripper). I have steamed the hay for 30 and 40 minutes. I put 3 sections into a net, inside the dustbin. My question is, should I do it for longer than this ?

It smells very nice etc, but am I supposed to leave it until it is all damp ? I find that some of the hay is still dry ?

I know some people said it benefitted COPD horses and some said it didn't. The professional Hay Steamer companies say it DOES. Has anyone here had positive results with steamed hay for horses with COPD ?

 

[sahiba]

I went to Badminton last week and was talking to one of the manufacturers there. I asked about running costs and he said 28p/minute - only after I had walked away did it occur to me that that is over £15 PER bale!!!! He said to steam for 50-60 minutes. Methinks, a lot cheaper to buy good haylage?? I can't see many livery yard owners allowing their liveries to set up one of these....... Surely I heard him wrong???

 

[flyingfeet]

If it was haygain:
Based on the average price being 10p per KWH, the steamer costs 25p per hour and one steam cycle takes just 50 minutes.

From a livery point of view, probably no more expensive than the water they would use