What on earth is wrong with my hay!?

[McNally]

I found a new supplier, Fairly cheap (well actually life savingly cheap as am struggling at the minute slightly!) Looks lovely, Smells really nice- like hay used to when i was a kid!! NO dust at all. Seems to be the best hay i've ever had and i was really really pleased!
I broke the bank used up my "vet/emergency" funds and bought enough to last me 3 months.

Anyway fill up ponio's net but next morning its still full?? This went on for a few nights and i had to use my old rubbish hay which he hoovers up but is very dusty and i don't like feeding.
A friend also bought a load at the same time as me so i got in touch and hers wont eat it either- she thought maybe because she previously fed top quality haylage and has made them fussy!

This morning we get a call from the supplier distraught- he spent a fortune buying this hay in as he didnt manage to make enough this year to supply his regular customers saying what did we think of the hay as everyone he sold it too is complaining and demanding money back!
I dont get it!- what could the problem be?

 

[martlin]

I had awful lot of good hay that horses wouldn't eat this year. Apparently, as the grass was fertilised it wasn't wet/warm enough for it to grow as much as it should and there is a lot of unconverted nitrogen in the hay, which makes it taste bitter.

 

[McNally]

Ok ok well i guess that would make sense as it wouldnt be at all obvious- I will go and taste some!!

god how annoying though!

 

[Steeleydan]

One of my house sitting clients has had this problem, they had some lovley green sweet smelling hay and the horses wouldnt touch it, it transpired that the farmer spread cow muck on the land and the horses could smell it.

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

As Steelydan - either that or cattle have grazed it.

 

[traceyann]

one time we had hay sortage i search every where found some 8 pound a bale and this was fifteen years ago lovely green smelt lovely even my cob wouldnt eat it. so found some really mangy hay they couldnt get enough of it no pleaseing them sometimes

 

[9tails]

I have some of this unpalateable hay too! Looks and smells lovely, she won't touch it.

 

[Haniki]

Could you try soaking it in water in an old dustbin overnight and then discarding the water? You could maybe try adding molasses to the water?

 

[friesian80]

Could you try soaking it in water in an old dustbin overnight and then discarding the water? You could maybe try adding molasses to the water?

But surely if they are not eating it its for a reason. There might be something in it which may be harmful.
Would disguising it not be potentially dangerous?

 

[NOISYGIRL]

I think Dodsen and Horell do an analysis service, you could explain to them and send them a sample to see what comes up, costs bout £15 quid, not sure what they test for exactly but something might show up
http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/help-advice/forage.html

 

[McNally]

Now i'm really hoping the cow poo bit is wrong...............

I tasted it! I know that sounds mad but actually if you chew a bit of hay long enough you get a grassy hay taste (as you would imagine it should) - Yes i tested several different bales so i could compare it!- lol I so hope no-one saw me
This particular hay is absolutely vile and disgusting. It left a foul taste in my mouth so there's the problem!

Due to the fact i have been chewing it i am hoping its nitrogen not shite!

 

[friesian80]

McNally would love to have been a fly on the wall haha

So what did it taste like? Bitter or just foul?

 

[narkymare]

Now i'm really hoping the cow poo bit is wrong...............

I tasted it! I know that sounds mad but actually if you chew a bit of hay long enough you get a grassy hay taste (as you would imagine it should) - Yes i tested several different bales so i could compare it!- lol I so hope no-one saw me
This particular hay is absolutely vile and disgusting. It left a foul taste in my mouth so there's the problem!

Due to the fact i have been chewing it i am hoping its nitrogen not shite!

I think you should finish this experiement and taste some shite just so you know for sure - lol

 

[CBFan]

Funny that... our horses turned their noses up at some 'organic' hay we had last winter... farmer says artificial fertilisers make it taste much sweeter so that is probably your problem.

Also theres some types of grass that horses tend to avoid so it could be that too..

Our hay looks anaemic this year - absolutely no colour in it whatsoever and no leaf at all but the horses love it! nowt as queer as horses! lol!

Had to LOL at you tasking your hay though!!

 

[McNally]

ewww, no its not funny!
Yes i suppose it was bitter. I will from now on taste before i buy!

 

[McNally]

CBfan- I had some very similar sounding last year and again the horses loved it! It was reduced to £2 per small bale as the farmer thought it looked horrible!

 

[Stinkbomb]

Now i'm really hoping the cow poo bit is wrong...............

I tasted it! I know that sounds mad but actually if you chew a bit of hay long enough you get a grassy hay taste (as you would imagine it should) - Yes i tested several different bales so i could compare it!- lol I so hope no-one saw me
This particular hay is absolutely vile and disgusting. It left a foul taste in my mouth so there's the problem!

Due to the fact i have been chewing it i am hoping its nitrogen not shite!

Sorry ive no idea whats wrong with your hay but that comment just made me spit my drink all over my computer!

 

[flyingfeet]

To set your mind at rest - we make our own hay have done for past 20 years without problem

This year gorgeous June hay and the horses won't touch it because its bitter. There is nothing wrong with the hay, but it was cut early and no rain means its a bitter taste

All of our horses have lost weight and have been eating straw (wheat and barley) in preference to the hay

Putting NAF molasses on the hay certainly helps palatability, however its a messy business and you end up with horses with brown noses. Steaming doesn't help, but soaking would (not possible for a herd)

So don't panic, but just one of those things

 

[McNally]

I might give soaking a try then- such a shame to chuck so much hay away!

Stinkbomb- glad to be of amusement!!!

 

[Dogstar]

I must say that's the funniest thing I have read in a long time!

 

[Lynnie1]

Had the same problem couple of years back. Had a barn full of the stuff had to have the hay man take back as my guys wouldn’t touch it. Has to be said have couple new mares that will sometimes take a dislike to the same bale. Seems odd that they go for weeks eating everything that’s put in front of them and then at the same time refuse to eat a particular bale out the stack. All looks and smells lovely to me. Bloody animals!!

 

[Paddy Irish]

I know it might be a bit late now but you did say some of the other people had bought this hay and are demanding their money back - could you do this - at least some of your hard earned cash could be spent on an alternative i.e straw or hi-fi lite etc. I wouldn't mind if they didn't eat the odd bale , but if they wont touch any then really the farmer should take it back, as it's clearly not fit for purpose.

 

[0ldmare]

I've had exactly the same problem. Usually we make our own but for one reason or another didn't this year and we bought a load. It was lovely june hay, non-dusty and sweet smelling. And the horse loathe it with a passion. But I have found soaking it makes them eat it.

Interesting to hear about the nitrogens still being present due to the dry weather, that makes sense.

 

[SO1]

we had the same problem, YO sent it back to the suppliers as when you have 40 horses and only three will eat it then it is going to take a long time to get through it! it smelt and looked great but they prefer the stuff that looks like straw!

 

[SKY]

what about pouring some molasses over it

 

[Mike007]

When I used to buy and sell hay ,I would chew a sample of the hay . If it was bitter , forget it, there had to be some sweetness in it. PS ,it takes quite a bit of chewing .

 

[amage]

If there is Nitrates present then def get your money back as not only is it unpalatable but it is not that good for them in large quantities. You could get it tested but to be honest if other people are sending it back too then you should get your money back