How Do You Store Horse Hay Without A Barn?

Without a barn, you can adapt a large storage shed or cargo container. If you have to store hay outdoors, protect stacked hay with secured tarps or a plastic covering. Raise hay off bare ground using wood pallets or tires, or by building a pad of rocks or gravel.

What is the best place to store hay safely?

The best storage for hay–especially the small round and square bales produced on a small-farm operation–is in a barn or shed. The barn should be free of leaks and well ventilated. Air circulation is important since, oftentimes, freshly baled hay contains moisture which will still need to escape after stacking.

Where is the best place to store hay?

Storing hay
Your hay does best in the dark, where sun can’t damage it. It also does best in dry places, with lots of ventilation. That means basements are not a good place to store hay – they are dark, but typically the air flow is next to nothing. And dampness is usually a problem down there in the cellar.

How do you keep 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 is the best floor to store hay on?

Most barns designed for storing large round bales simply use a dirt floor that is elevated and well drained to minimize moisture intrusion. Some barns that store valuable hay (typically small square bales for the horse market) do use a concrete floor.

How do you keep hay from rotting?

Use plastic wrap, net wrap or plastic twine. Research shows that net-wrapped bales reduce grass hay dry matter losses by 32 percent compared to twine bales when stored outside. Use a good plastic covering (i.e., a tarp) when storing outdoors, which can cut storage losses in half.

What should I store my hay in?

Store hay inside
“In most cases, it is recommended to elevate bales using gravel, which can reduce DM losses to 3-15%. The best option for storage is covering hay bales with tarps, which will help to prevent losses on hay stored outside.”

Can you store hay in a closed shed?

If the hay storage area is open on one or more sides, or if it’s a shed with only a roof, cover the fully-cured hay with a tarp to keep out weather and light.

How do you store hay long term?

Bales wrapped with plastic netting or sleeves shed water better than those wrapped only with twine. Plastic bags do a very good jobs of preserving hay quality, but require an investment in bagging equipment. They are more expensive, but may be cost-effective for very high quality forage.

How long will stored hay last?

If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years. Keep in mind that hay, even premium forage, loses much of its vitamin content in the first few months of storage.

How long can hay be stored outside?

One of the reasons for the popularity of this hay package was its low-labor demand.
Bales Stored Outside and Unprotected.

Can hay be exposed to air?

Leaving hay exposed to the air (but not rain), allows the moisture content to be affected by the atmospheric humidity. You can tell if exterior humidity is a problem by noticing if mold grows in shady areas of your house and yard. Certain times of the year the humidity levels may be more acceptable (winter).

Should you tarp your hay?

In the event that you already have a barn, Hay Tarps are still great to have because you may have more hay than can fit into your building. These bales left out in the open can still get the protection necessary. Another important benefit to Hay Tarps and your hay bales is fire prevention.

How do you keep hay dry without a barn?

If you don’t have a barn, store hay on wooden pallets and cover them with a tarp. Keep hay covered – Storing your hay in a covered place protects your hay supply from rain. Keep feed hay dry outside during feeding – Don’t just plan to keep hay dry while in the hay storage area, but during feeding too.

Does hay need to be on pallets?

Store it on Pallets
You should never store hay directly on the ground, regardless of whether you have the option of doing so indoors or outdoors. Instead, stack bales on pallets to provide better air circulation to increase the hay’s resistance to moisture absorption.

How do you store hay so it doesn’t mold?

Use Plastic Hay Crates
You can stack the crates to keep them organized and to prevent your hay from getting wet. If you decide to use these crates, you should continue to cover the hay with a plastic covering or canvas tarp to have the added protection against moisture and mold.

How Long Will hay last in a shed?

Hay stored undercover can maintain its quality for more than 12 months, but hay stored outdoors without cover will show significant reductions in quality, dry matter and nutrients over time. Hay can typically be stored outdoors and uncovered for up to three months, with a maximum of six months.

Does hay get ruined if it gets wet?

If rained-on hay is not again dried fully, mold and mycotoxin growth can occur which can put livestock health at risk. Furthermore, baled wet hay can combust due to the temperature increase caused by microbial growth – putting a producer at risk of barn fire.

How do you store hay on a dirt floor?

If, however, the floor is dirt or concrete, it can wick moisture up to the stored hay. In that case, you’ll want to put down tarp to act as a barrier and put pallets on top of it to allow air to circulate beneath the bales. This will keep the bottom layer of bales dry.

How long should hay sit before stacking?

Hay baled with more than 22 percent moisture should probably not be put into storage for at least 30 days. This is especially true if bales are to be stacked several layers deep. With the threat of barn fires removed by outside hay storage, many operators of large round balers try to bale hay with too much moisture.

Does hay need ventilation?

Buildings that are entirely enclosed need some form of ventilation to remove the moisture given off during the normal sweating process that all hay must undergo. A properly sized vent fan should prevent the accumulation of moisture and potential deterioration of properly dried hay.