When can you use this years hay?

Thanks for all replies-our hay was bone dry when baled-done during a heatwave-think I will wait until October then start using it then, as the ponies are all native types.
 
marmalade76 said:
This. If it's fit to bale it's fit to feed. I have raked up the bits missed by the baler and fed it. I start feeding new hay when I've run out of the old.
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This for us too. My natives have been on the new for a couple of weeks now. It is lovely hay this year, very pleased with it and perfect for my native good doers.
 
Curing?? I shall mention that to my husband, not something he's ever said anything about and he's been making hay for thirty years. According to him if it's fit to bale it's fit to feed and fit to go in the barn. If it's not fit, either wait until it is or wrap for haylage or silage.
 
marmalade76 said:
Curing?? I shall mention that to my husband, not something he's ever said anything about and he's been making hay for thirty years. According to him if it's fit to bale it's fit to feed and fit to go in the barn. If it's not fit, either wait until it is or wrap for haylage or silage.
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Agree with above totally...and from one who's Farming OH has also been 'making hay while the sun shines' for 30 odd years too!
 
marmalade76 said:
Curing?? I shall mention that to my husband, not something he's ever said anything about and he's been making hay for thirty years. According to him if it's fit to bale it's fit to feed and fit to go in the barn. If it's not fit, either wait until it is or wrap for haylage or silage.
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My OH says this too, but I agree about the "curing." It is always slighter better coming out of the bay and having been stored, unless it is made under 100% perfect conditions, and how often does that happen? Not often.
 
Orangehorse said:
My OH says this too, but I agree about the "curing." It is always slighter better coming out of the bay and having been stored, unless it is made under 100% perfect conditions, and how often does that happen? Not often.
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I think this year (at least up here) was about as perfect as the UK gets. I think this is the only country where this myth prevails and it was one I was taught as a kid. I feed it straight away-its good stalky stuff thats been analysed and is therefore soaked for an hour anyway and they're not getting much this time of year.
 
Tnavas said:
The hay may be dry enough to bale but it is still completing the final curing process which is why it is important to leave hay for a few months before feeding.
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can you explain what happens in the final curing process please? what changes, presumably chemical ones, take place to change the hay? in what way is "cured" hay different to "uncured".
 
Nugget La Poneh said:
I think one of the issues is now, certainly on livery yards, that there is just not this option any more. If I had the storage, then I would store and use like you, and how I was taught, but I am at the mercy of the supply chain in my area.
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I learnt of a very wise lady, what I use is two internal stables I wont put horses in due to us having a max on the ground.

What about having an old horse box body as a storage area or an old disused horsebox? or shipping container?
 
I see some use it straight away as its dry, but I wont take the risk as you don't know how it was baled and if totally dry unless you do it yourself.

Having lost one to laminitis and one to colic. I will not take the risk feeding new hay how ever many use it and get away with it. There will always be some where it was not ok and its to late.
I will play it safe and I buy all through the year and fill one stable up with new and use the older stuff in the other stable and visa versa.

Works for us and being we have very good hay brought to us, I will always do what Joseph suggested " Planning for the years ahead"

So if there is a year when hay is scarce or expensive we don't need to worry. If I had no internal stables for hay storage I would get a old horsebox body or shipping container for the hay. MPC
 
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For those that are struggling for storage space, perhaps you can do what I do:

I have an old rice pony trailer (that's road worthy and legal so I can tow it and pick up a bale when needed).. I purchased it from the auctions after getting my OH to check it out first and I use this to house my large round baled hay as I can't use haylage that the yard provides as my boy can't cope with any kind of haylage at all.

It works a treat, gives me enough room to work/fill my nets in it too as well as housing a round bale...and a couple of bales for bedding purposes as well! It's good money spend in my opinion as buying a round bale is more cost effective that buying small bales as you get alot more for ya money! :).

My yard has been extremely accommodating and doesn't charge me for parking up my little 'hay trailer' in leiu of not being able to use their haylage that's included in their standard livery prices. I'm very lucky in that respect as so many yards wouldn't do this for me in the past and I had to pay their standard rates of livery including haylage,...when I can't use the bloomin' stuff!
 
I'm not convinced. Older hay doesn't equal better quality hay. If it's been baled when not completely dry leaving it to get older won't 'improve' it. I can't see how it can be more risky unless you don't make a gradual change over so the horse's gut can adjust - as with introducing any new feed.
 
Nugget La Poneh said:
Just been reading into it and it seems that providing it has been 'cured' properly and was 100% (well, as dry as hay can possibly get) dry when baled, it can be fed immediately with now issues. The problem arises where it isn't and is then left to fester and needs drying out while in a bale in a barn. While hoping it doesn’t go poof in a puff of self-combusted smoke.
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This is what I do. If it was 100% dry when baled I use it straight away. Have never had a problem doing this in 20 years of making my own but I do mix it in with last years for first week or two.
 
If it's been cured properly in the paddock before baling, then it can be fed immediately. Works like that here in Aus! Personally, I'd never be bailing the hay if it's still got moisture as it will go mouldy and if damp enough it will begin to ferment and could combust. The best quality hay will have been turned multiple times to ensure even drying.
 
doriangrey said:
I'm not convinced. Older hay doesn't equal better quality hay. If it's been baled when not completely dry leaving it to get older won't 'improve' it. I can't see how it can be more risky unless you don't make a gradual change over so the horse's gut can adjust - as with introducing any new feed.
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I have been feeding this years hay for a month and agree. The crucial thing with hay is baling it with low enough moisture content. Once it's baled it just grows mold and or heats if it's baled too wet. http://www.uwex.edu/ces/forage/pubs/drying_forage.pdf
 
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