horse hay question

[RockyToggRanch]

Thanks for all your help. I won't chance feeding it to my critters. I told my cousin, who has a calf, that she can have it. Then she informed me that she'll use it for horse bedding. I told her not to, but her reply was "My horses don't colic." I couldn't make her understand.

 

[freemotion]

Good grief, tell her about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, aka heaves. If she ever saw a horse with its neck stretched out and head held up, struggling for air, she would avoid mold in any form. Especially in winter in areas where animals are kept inside. The movement of the horses will stir up the mold even more, and dampness of spilled water, urine, etc will grow even more mold.

Egads, do her horses a favor and PLEASE don't give it to her.

 

[hollyclyff]

I have a question. In my last hay delivery I had a couple of bad bales. They were very dusty and smelled funky. I did *not* feed them to my horses. But I couldn't tell anything was wrong with them until I opened the bales. They didn't even smell until I broke them open. Is there a way to tell they're bad before you open them?

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Sometimes moldy bales will be heavier than normal. But as often as not, you can't tell til you open 'em.

Pat

 

[freemotion]

It is not unreasonable to lose a small percentage of your hay....a bale may have come from the edge of the field that was more shaded, and had a bit more moisture, etc. So to find a bad bale or two or three will happen even in a load of beautiful hay. You can work your hand into the center of the bale and pull a bit out and take a good sniff, if the bale is not too tight. Or slide a hoof pick in to snag some hay from the inside of the bale.

The other thing to do, if you are not blessed with a good mold sniffer, is to hold it up to a good light and slap it and look for any dust. You will soon learn to distinguish mold, with practice.

If there are too many bad bales, a good supplier will replace it for you....save it to show them. I don't bother them with a bale or two, but if there are many, and my storage is not to blame, they should know.

I switched feed stores a couple years ago when I returned moldy oats and the guy argued with me....over two bags. I will never trust them, and they lost a long-term customer with a big mouth

Bad business practices!

 

[Florida chick]

In the future stack on the sides and salt your layers of hay. I def would NOT feed it to the horses ever! Sorry

Cows could handle it. Or donate it for sled dogs bedding or to a place that may raise deer?

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Quote:
I was thinking about not giving it to her. But now I've told her she could have it. I'll warn her again and if she still insists that her horses will have it, I'll not give it to her. Perhaps I'll just tell her I decided to keep it and grow potatoes in it instead

 

[freemotion]

Thank you, I will sleep better tonight! Health problems from inhaled mold are cumulative and not curable....maybe managed to some degree, but never cured. So if someone has "gotten away with it" in the past does not mean they will always. Sometimes you have to just protect people from themselves (or in this case, protect their horses) until they get it. Maybe your taking a stand will help her get herself more educated.

We've all done dumb things we've later regretted, as we've become more experienced.....well, hopefully!

eta: homegrown taters are very yummy!!!!

 

[ksacres]

Direct sunlight kills mold. If you really wanted to save the hay, you could break it open and spread it in direct sunlight. Or, resell it to cattle owners. Ruminants generally have no problem with light mold. I will feed "white" molded hay to my goats, they are fine with it. Black mold is a no-no though.

 

[freemotion]

Yes, that is true, sunlight will kill mold....but it won't remove the mold that is there and not all mold in hay can be exposed to the sun. Each blade and leaf has a backside and most will be shaded by the rest of the hay. So it is still a no-no for horses. A big no-no, always. Not worth $5 or $100 or even $1000 to have a permanently crippled horse. They are delicate little flowers....very expensive little flowers.

So if it is safe for the ruminants, go for it. Avoid breathing the dust yourself, though. You can have no problem with mold today and be very sick and sensitive tomorrow and for the rest of your life. Mold is nasty.

My father took a course in mold remediation a couple years ago and came home and ripped out the walls in his bathroom and replaced them. He gave me many instructions and cautions on dealing with mold.

I spent quite a few years working with horses in extreme Northern Maine, where the winter weather keeps horses in their stalls sometimes for weeks at a time. More time spent in contact with dust and mold, less time in fresh air. Years ago, heaves was common, I saw it in many older horses. Not so much now that we understand mold and keeping the barn ventilated even if colder.