Hay Storage

You’ve just purchased some premium quality hay for your horses, now you need to make it last.  So how should you store your hay?  Here are some tips to help make sure your hay last and maintains it quality.

1. Seal up your storage area.  Be sure to store hay under shelter when possible.  Direct sunlight will bleach and age hay, and rain will cause spoilage.  Plug any holes in your roof, as a leaky roof will lead to wet hay and development of mold.  If you have an enclosed area to store hay, be sure to check and plug any places where mice, rats, or other vermin may have been entering.  They will deposit feces, chew through twine, and nest in bales, making a mess of your storage area.

2. Do not store your hay directly on the ground.  Storing directly on the ground will cause moisture to wick up from the ground and lead to spoiled hay.  Pallets are helpful in lifting hay off the ground and promoting air circulation around the bales.  This also applies if you store hay in an area with concrete floors.  Concrete will wick moisture, so airflow is still needed under your bales to prevent mold and damage.

3. Round bales should be stored end-to-end to minimize losses.  Stacking round bales tends to trap moisture, and limits drying from sun and wind.  Outdoor storage of round bales will lead to losses, typically anywhere from 5-35%.  When storing round bales outside, so not store them in a low-lying area, and when possible, cover them with a tarp to reduce losses.  Buying denser bales can also help reduce this loss.  Studies have also shown that bales wrapped with net wrap or plastic twine have less losses than those wrapped with natural twine, but be careful to ensure all net wrap is removed.  Net wrap pieces have been known to cause intestinal blockages.

Following these tips can help protect the investment you have made in hay on your farm.  See the following table demonstrating the increases longevity of hay when store properly.

Hay Storage Options	Storage Longevity (Years)	Dry Matter Loss (%)
Conventional Shed	20	4 to 7
Tarped on Pallet	5	4 to 7
Net Wrap on Ground	1	15 to 25
Twine on Ground	1	25 to 35

This article was adapted from University of Minnesota Extension website found at https://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/nutrition/selecting-and-storing-horse-hay/