When can you use this years hay?

Nugget La Poneh said:
I was always taught at least 6 months, which in reality would be a year. But I am currently feeding hay made about 6 weeks ago.
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Yes I was always under the impression it was 6 months, however I have fed it at around four months and it's been fine. I always open the bales fully first though and check the colour etc.
 
could or laminitis with one at risk.

I was always trained to leave it at least 6 months, I would not feed it any earlier which is why I always keep some of last years hay to feed when going into the winter so by the time I get to use this years its over 6 months old.
 
HGA-12 said:
could or laminitis with one at risk.

I was always trained to leave it at least 6 months, I would not feed it any earlier which is why I always keep some of last years hay to feed when going into the winter so by the time I get to use this years its over 6 months old.
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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.
 
I was always told 6 months. And this from a chap who has been working on farms and making the stuff since he was old enough to hold the reins of a cart horse (he now uses tractors).

I think the problem with using it earlier is that it may not be perfectly dry and can cause colic if it starts to ferment in the gut. As it can do this in the stack and then the heat from the fermentation can cause the stack to catch fire, I think for the ponies sake I will stick with tradition on this one!!!!

Like HGA above, I (well my supplier - the same chap who used to make hay when there were still horses on farms) always keeps some of the previous years' hay back so that there is always some 'old' stock available ahead of the new crop.
 
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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.
 
I'm already using this years hay with no issues. As long as the hay has been properly dried, baled we use it from 6 weeks of cutting. If you left it 6 months you wouldn't be able to use it until January.
 
I always give it straight away if dried properly with caution depending when it was baled. Later hay stemy tends to be more like soft straw, which I never worry too much about, but the hay seems very green this year and was cut in June so they are only getting small amount.
In the old days the balers where relatively slow and it took longer to bale so you needed a longer period of dry weather. We have contractors near us that can cut and bale 50 acres in three days, also some of the balers have flash dryers on them that switch on if the moisture content goes up over a certain percentage.
 
Agree, if you fully open the bale and check the colour etc then should be fine. Though just for peace of mind I always leave it at least three months.
 
I have used some straight off the field after topped, and am using some I raked up about 2-3 days after topping and have stored loose in the barn both with no ill effects. The rest was dried for a few days and has been baled and wrapped and that will be used in about 3 months. I think if it has been dried properly and you should be able to tell when you open the bale it should be fine but bear in mind it will be richer the younger it is so not good for at risk of lami ponies.
 
I was taught that you never fed new hay before xmas......so mine will have last years hay up until Dec, then this summers hay from then on.
 
Hmm, I was also taught to not use 'fresh' hay but never really the reason why. I'm feeding this year's hay to my youngster atm as she's on a very bare paddock. I did make the change over gradually though so as not to stress her tummy bacteria, but I'd do that with introducing any new/different feed. She's doing well on it.
 
I had to use this years hay after horse had an operation and was on pen rest. Couldn't get anymore of last years. I had no problems at all. I even gave it to my lammi pony who was in a pen next to her to keep her quiet, no problems there either. As others have said, as long as its made properly and dry it's fine.
 
If it was not ready to be baled then it shouldn't have been. And it shouldn't be fed to horses now or in 6 months time.

We make thousands of bales of hay annually and our hay can be fed as soon as it's baled. The nutrients in newly baled hay are far higher so you should reassess your feeding programme and make allowances for this.
 
I am just starting to introduce this year's hay, mixing in with the old.

I was very nervous the first time I did this, but since I was off to a stay-away clinic and had just about run out of old hay, I started to mix in the new about 4-6 weeks after making, and by the time I went away horse was on 100% new hay. Been doing this for about 10 years now.
 
I was always taught not to use it for a few months, but I don't really believe that any more. If it's dry enough to bale and be in a barn it's dry enough to feed. It is sweet and the horses love it, given a chance.
 
The few months thing is from before hay was made as it is today. When it was more labour intensive it was quite often not caught in one go and had to suffer rain etc... Or was brought in slightly damp etc... All bad but in 't' olden days not much choice about that . These days it is (or should be) well made and dry when brought in so is safe to feed to non laminitis horses straight off....
 
Spring Feather said:
If it was not ready to be baled then it shouldn't have been. And it shouldn't be fed to horses now or in 6 months time.

We make thousands of bales of hay annually and our hay can be fed as soon as it's baled. The nutrients in newly baled hay are far higher so you should reassess your feeding programme and make allowances for this.
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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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