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When is it safe to feed fresh baled hay?

With the recent fine weather, horse owners across the UK have started to stock up on this year’s freshly baled hay — but when is it safe to feed it? Rachel Fraser speaks to Tim Moxon and Annabel Wells, of TM Agri Services Ltd, to find out. Ask seasoned horse owners and the response varies from “straight away” to “after eight weeks”.

When do the horses get fed at the track?

Horses get fed at least an hour before training. On an average day, trainers get to the barns at least an hour before taking the horses to the track. When they first arrive, they make sure the horses are fed and ensure each horse is appropriately prepared for their workout.

Can you feed fermented hay to horses?

This heat results from fermentation, and you certainly don’t want to feed fermenting hay to your horse. This shouldn’t happen if hay is baled with 12% or less moisture; hay baled under these conditions should be safe to feed immediately. Hay baled with higher moisture content might require some time before horses can eat it safely.

How long should fresh baled hay cure before feeding?

Fresh-Baled Hay for Horses. The notion of a “curing” phase is not a new one, and Crandell pinpoints its origin easily. “Some traditional horsemen believe that fresh-baled hay should ‘sweat’ for two to four weeks before feeding. This allows the hay to cure, which might be important if the hay too wet when it was baled.

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Is it safe to bale hay for horses?

This shouldn’t happen if hay is baled with 12% or less moisture; hay baled under these conditions should be safe to feed immediately. Hay baled with higher moisture content might require some time before horses can eat it safely. Hay shouldn’t be baled if the moisture content is over 18%.

How to tell if Hay is ready for horses?

Hay baled with higher moisture content might require some time before horses can eat it safely. Hay shouldn’t be baled if the moisture content is over 18%. If you’re unsure whether your hay is ready to feed, open it and see whether you can feel heat. If you feel heat, it’s not safe to feed.

What does a horse trainer do in the morning?

Some trainers like to hand-walk their horses, but most put the horses on a walker. While the horse is out of the barn, the stall’s cleaned, and fresh hay hung. After the cool-down period, the horse is given a good bath and returned to his stable. It commonly takes a trainer until noon to finish with his morning routine.

What time do they feed the horses in the barns?

By 3:30, all of the horses are brought in for their evening feeding. The evening feed consisted of a scoop of grain and two flakes of hay. The barn is closed for the day by 4:00 p.m.

Is it cheaper to buy hay off the field for horses?

In fact, because most horse owners don’t like hay that’s been rained on, you can often purchase such hay at a decent price. While buying hay off the field is often cheaper than buying barn-stored hay, there are some potential disadvantages, too.

Is it safe for horses to eat baled hay?

This shouldn’t happen if hay is baled with 12% or less moisture; hay baled under these conditions should be safe to feed immediately. Hay baled with higher moisture content might require some time before horses can eat it safely.

How to tell if a bale of hay is fresh?

One of the best ways to gauge the freshness of a bale of hay is to look at its color. High-quality horse hay should be slightly green in color. Additionally, the color should be relatively consistent throughout the bale, including the areas that may have been exposed to the sun.

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Is buying hay for your horse a challenge?

Buying hay for your horse can be a challenge whether you buy it a few bales at a time or purchase a year’s supply when it becomes available in the summer.

How much hay is too much hay for horses?

Hay with 500,00 to 1 million cfu/g is relatively safe, while hay with over 1 million cfu/g of mold should not be fed to horses due to the risk of respiratory issues. Most people can start to detect mold around 500,000 cfu/g.

What is the best weather for growing hay for horses?

For example, orchardgrass grows best at soil temperatures of 50-65 degrees Fahrenheit with about 18 inches of annual rainfall. In years when growing conditions for plants are challenging, horse owners could find the hay supply drastically reduced. The most common weather-related reason for hay shortages across the world?

What should you look for when buying hay for horses?

Supply, price, and quality have always been important parameters to consider when buying hay for horses, but now, more than ever before, horse owners are becoming aware of the importance of the nutritional components of the hay they feed. How to Interpret Your Hay Test | Horse Journals Skip to main content Google Tag Manager Login

Why does Hay need to ferment before feeding?

“This basically allows the sugars and fermentation process to settle to a safe level before feeding so as not to cause colic. “If the hay has been baled very dry at less than 12% moisture, this shouldn’t be necessary as it shouldn’t need to go through the fermentation process.”

Can horses eat silage and haylage?

While horses can be fed baleage, silage and haylage, we recommend horses be fed primarily dried hay. Transition to these feeds (or any new feedstuff) should be done gradually. Just like evaluating dried hay for mold and dust, baleage, silage and haylage should also be evaluated for mold.

How long does it take for hay to dry after baling?

This means the hay has been given the correct amount of time to dry. Hay baled while it’s still too damp will continue to cure after it is baled and, depending on its moisture level, the plant type, and bale tightness, this could take days to weeks.

How long does it take hay to cure before feeding?

For the above reasons we do not feed hay to horses and other young farm animals until after 5 or 6 weeks after it was put away in the hay barns. The sweating of the hay, or the curing process very much depends on the storage facilities as well as on the weather.

Can I Feed my horse new season Hay?

Asking your supplier for their recommendations, erring on the side of caution and waiting longer if in doubt should minimise the risks of feeding new season hay to your horse. For advice specific to your horse, consult your vet or an equine nutritionist. Would you like to read Horse & Hound’s independent journalism without any adverts?

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When is the best time to bale hay?

Specifically, producers are able to accurately gauge moisture content and choose the best time to bale hay. “If hay is baled with a low moisture content, less than 12%, it can be fed right away, and horses shouldn’t have any problem with it,” said Kathleen Crandell, Ph.D., longtime nutritionist for Kentucky Equine Research (KER).

How to tell if horse hay is bad?

The best way to know if your hay is going bad is to learn how to identify high-quality horse hay! Signs that your horse hay may be bad include a lack of color or dried-out appearance, a moldy smell, excessive dust, visible mold, or excessive heat towards the center of the hay bale.

What should my Hay analysis report look like?

At first glance, your hay analysis report may be intimidating. You will see a large collection of numbers, usually arrayed in two columns labelled as “As Fed” and “Dry Matter Basis.” For the purposes of evaluating the hay for your horse you will most often consult the “Dry Matter Basis” column.

Is it safe to feed hay after it has cured?

If you feel heat, it’s not safe to feed. Additionally, hay that generates heat in the bale might not be safe to feed even after it’s finished curing, because too much moisture can result in mold and dust. Such hay can self-combust, causing barn fires, so be extremely careful if the insides of your bales are warm to the touch.

Can you feed round hay bales to horses?

But it’s a myth that horses should never be fed round hay bales. In truth, properly stored and handled round bales are perfectly safe for horses and may actually be a smart addition in many feed management situations. The big concern with round bales is the increased possibility that they may spread diseases like botulism.

How do you know when Hay is ready to feed?

If you’re unsure whether your hay is ready to feed, open it and see whether you can feel heat. If you feel heat, it’s not safe to feed. Additionally, hay that generates heat in the bale might not be safe to feed even after it’s finished curing, because too much moisture can result in mold and dust.