Purchasing
hay to feed is costly so why not protect that investment? Proper hay storage does come with a price tag
but will save you money in the long run. In this blog post we will explore the two
main hay sizes that are fed to horses and the different storage options.
Round Bales
If
you are purchasing round bales you have a little more flexibility when it comes
to storage options vs. small square bales.
You can store round bales outside, however, you do not want to store
them on the ground uncovered if you can avoid it. Bales stored on the ground can absorb
moisture and can have as much as 50% loss.
Best
storage practices outside to minimize waste include:
·
Never
store round bales directly on the ground.
Pallets work well to keep bales off the ground for optimum air flow.
·
Storing
round bales end to end rather than a pyramid if uncovered.
·
Purchase
bales that are tightly wrapped.
·
Choose
bales wrapped in net wrap over baling twine.
·
Store
bales on well-drained sites and never under trees or in low lying areas.
·
If
you can, cover round bales stored outside, tarps work well.
Ideally,
you want to store round bales inside.
Storing inside can cut hay loss down to 5% or less which is significant. Keep in mind, even if you store round bales inside, do not store them directly on the ground.
Small Square Bales
Small
square bales are not as forgiving as large round bales mainly due to their size. You definitely do not want to store them
outside uncovered. If you have to store
them outside make sure they are placed on pallets and tarped to keep the
weather out.
Best
storage practices for small square bales:
· Never
store bales directly on the ground, even inside. Any moisture that comes in can be absorb by
the bale. Pallets works well to keep the
bales off of the ground and to allow air flow.
· Make
sure to examine the shelter for roof leaks and rodents/wildlife activity. Deter rodents/wildlife as much as possible by
plugging holes, keeping the area clean, and using traps/baits if necessary. Some wildlife can cause diseases such as EPM
if horses come in contact with their droppings.
·
Purchase
bales that are tightly wrapped.
· If
you are using a pole shed or three-sided shelter be certain that the weather
cannot get to your hay and if it can, you may want to tarp the hay as well.
The
main concern with storing any hay is keeping the moisture out. You have to be careful though not to
encourage moisture when storing inside.
Your hay storage area needs to have good ventilation for air flow.
For additional information
check out the following websites: https://extension.umn.edu/horse-nutrition/selecting-and-storing-horse-hay
and https://site.extension.uga.edu/forageteam/2019/09/hay-storage-options/
