For horse owners getting ready for winter months and purchasing hay, this is the time to make sure you are getting the most for your money and that the hay will maintain as many nutrients as possible throughout storage time.
Follow these tips for selecting and storing hay to minimize waste and loss:
- The stage of maturity at which the hay was cut is the foundation of its nutritional value; plants have more fiber and less protein as they mature.
- Hay should be free of dust, mold, weeds, and insects.
- Hay should be baled when it is at 12 to 18 percent moisture to avoid molding and fermentation.
- Stack hay on pallets rather than directly on the ground.
- Feed round bales in feeders to reduce waste.
- Use a creep feeder for foals.
- Feed hard-keepers separately if possible to make sure they get enough hay.