Small Square Hay Baling

[Anonymous-0]

I am going to buy a large quantity of small square bales of coastal bermuda hay from a hay producer. The hay has been mowed and raked and is ready to bale. While it was drying yesterday, approximately one inch of rain fell on the hay and it more than likely rained on it again this morning.

My question is-if the hay dries properly before it is baled-can it dry properly after two rains- will it still be good hay that is suitable for horses after it has been rained on two times? It don't want to pay a lot of money for the hay, get it in my barn, and then it mildew or mold and not be able to feed it to the horses are spending a large sum of money.

Thanks

 

[Jeff Oliver]

If he will tedder it back out and let it dry really good it should be ok as far as mold and all. We have done this before,don't like to but sometimes you just have no choice. I have heard that if it is cut, dries, then gets rained on that the nutritional value is hurt, not really sure but our horses eat about anything we bale here.

However it your paying a top quality price then you expect top quality hay.can't argue with that.

 

[Walt Davies]

Rain or dew its all about the same we get a lot of dew this time of the year if the hay is dry we bale it up with some of the dew on it. rained on hay as the other says needs to be re-raked or tethered to get it dry and yeas you will loose about 10% of the protein so it should sell for a little less than premium hay. As far as Mold or Mildew it will only occur if the hay it baled above 25% moisture, have it checked for moisture content if about 16 to 20 then its good less you loose protein more you get mold and mildew.
Take a bale apart and smell it, it should smell good to you like the new mowed filed does. Not musty or dusty. When feeding it break the bale out and look for a white frosty looking stuff that's the mold that will harm your horse.

Walt

 

[Don-Wi]

If it was alreayd raked once, you'll get more dust & mildew than if it weren't raked, but it should still be alright for beef or dairy animals. Can't say about horses, but no horse owner would want to buy it from you (you're buying it so that's not an issue, right?)

just gotta rake it again so the rest can dry out, then it should be fine.

I knocked down all of our 1st crop on memorial day, and then when it was almost dry we got rain, then more rain a few days later (bout 2" total) Only about 6 acres of the 30 got rake,d and that stuff was the worse but it still smells good, has some green to it, and the cows like it just fine.

Donovan from Wisconsin