In hay, the white mold in the bale is the mycelium and dustiness is from the tiny spores. The potential for hay molding starts even with the standing hay crop where bacteria protects the plant from fungal and yeast infections.

Will white mold on hay hurt cows?

Cattle can generally tolerate and eat a mold on hay without problems.

How can you tell if hay is moldy?

Look for Mold

Cut open a bale of hay and separate the flakes. Look for the presence of mold in any of the flakes. Moldy hay generally presents as darker areas which are grey or black. If you find mold, refuse the bale – mold indicates that the hay was baled when it was too wet.

What does rotten hay look like?

The best way to know if your hay is going bad is to learn how to identify high-quality horse hay! Signs that your horse hay may be bad include a lack of color or dried-out appearance, a moldy smell, excessive dust, visible mold, or excessive heat towards the center of the hay bale.

Why is my hay molding?

What Causes Mold to Grow on Hay? Much hay has been rained on or left lying in the field for prolonged periods of time due to excessively wet and humid conditions. The long drying periods with high humidity can allow mold to grow on the hay in the field.

Ask the Vet - Steaming vs soaking hay

Is it OK for hay to get wet?

The first thing to keep in mind when dealing with wet hay is that moisture can easily lead to combustion. Twenty percent moisture is about the highest level that bales should reach. Above this, microbes begin to break down plant matter and mold growth occurs.

How do I get rid of Mouldy hay?

To eliminate mold commonly found in hay bales, West Chester, Pa., equine veterinarian Frank Reilly suggests “flash soaking” — tearing pieces of hay off of the bale, putting them in a hay net and then under a heavy rock in a bucket of water for 10 minutes. Studies have shown this reduces the organic dust count, he says.

What does Mouldy hay mean?

overgrown or covered with mold.

What is dusty hay?

Dusty hay can cause breathing problems in some animals. In many cases, the dust is actually mold spores. To distinguish between dusty hay and moldy hay, shake out a flake of hay from the bale. If the dust appears as a grayish-white color, it's mold.

What happens if a horse eats moldy hay?

Moldy hay can kill a horse. It's a cause of colic that can be fatal, and some types of mold are toxic to horses. And inhaled mold spores enter horses' respiratory systems when they eat, causing heaves or other chronic respiratory diseases. Feeding moldy hay to horses is dangerous.

At what temperature does hay mold?

“Hay bale temperatures of 120°F to 130°F will likely result in mold growth and will make the protein in the hay less available to animals,” Hartschuh says. While these temperatures will not cause fires, continued mold growth can raise temperatures to dangerous levels.

Is white dust in hay mold?

In hay, the white mold in the bale is the mycelium and dustiness is from the tiny spores. The potential for hay molding starts even with the standing hay crop where bacteria protects the plant from fungal and yeast infections.

Does all hay have mold?

Although all hay contains some mold, when mold becomes easily noticeable, the decisions become important. “Usually, mold makes hay less palatable, which can result in lower intake or even in animals refusing to eat the hay. Many other problems from mold occur because of mycotoxins produced by certain mold fungi.

Do bales of hay rot?

Even if the heat doesn't cause a fire the build-up of temperature will cause nutrient loss. Even at temperatures of 45 to 55 degrees hay can lose up to 30% of its nutrient content. Mouldy hay can be attributed to stock going off their feed.

Can you get sick from moldy hay?

Farmer's Lung is an allergic disease usually caused by breathing in the dust from moldy hay. However, dust from any moldy crop - straw, corn, silage, grain, or even tobacco - can also cause Farmer's Lung.

How long does hay stay good for?

If stored correctly, hay will stay good for about 12 months after harvest before losing any of its fresh taste or smell.

How can you tell good quality hay?

Look for the following characteristics:

1. Maturity - High quality hay will have a high proportion of leaves in the bale, with few or no coarse stems or seed heads.
2. Condition - High quality hay will contain little dust or mold.
3. Color & odor - High quality hay generally has a bright green color and a sweet, fresh odor.

Does moldy hay hurt horses?

Quick facts. Don't feed moldy hay to horses. Most moldy hay problems are from mold spores, which can produce respiratory disease in horses. Many of the common mold toxins develop in the field during a delayed harvest.

Does raking hay help it dry?

Raking tends to roll the wetter hay from the bottom of the swath to the outer surface of the windrow, which improves drying. Following the initial improvement, the increase in swath density can reduce drying rate, so the crop moisture content at raking is important.

Is hay ruined if rained on?

Rained-on hay often has relatively high protein values compared to fiber content unless there's great leaf loss. Leaves contain a lot of the plant's protein. As soluble carbohydrates leach, structural fibers make up a greater percent of forage dry matter. The digestibility of rained-on hay can decline 6 to 40 percent.

Can you leave hay outside?

If hay is to be stored outside, it is desirable to locate the storage site close to the feeding area because bales become more difficult to handle as they weather. It is easier to move them a greater distance when they are new and tightly wrapped. Well-drained upland storage sites are best.

What kind of mold grows on hay?

Molds commonly found in hay include Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporum, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium, and Rhizopus. These molds can produce spores that cause respiratory problems, especially in horses or other animals fed in poorly ventilated areas and, under some conditions, will produce mycotoxins.

How long should you soak hay to get rid of dust?

Take-Home Message

Hay soaking for short periods of time (30-60 minutes) is an acceptable management method for reducing respirable particles and certain nutrient concentrations. Feed soaked hay immediately after soaking to eliminate the potential for mold growth.

Why can't you put wet hay in a barn?

Actually, wet hay is more likely to lead to spontaneous combustion than dry hay. If wet hay with more than 22% moisture is stored in a barn or stacked then the risk of spontaneous combustion is increased. Further, the wet hay loses in forage quality.