What Does Bad Horse Hay Look Like?

Poor-quality hay may be damp and moldy with a musty or fermented smell. Hay that appears weathered, straw-like, or brown is likely low in nutritional value. If hay has been cut late in maturity, seed heads will be apparent in grass hay and blooms will be evident in alfalfa hay.

How can you tell if a bale of hay is bad?

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.

What are the symptoms of a horse eating moldy hay?

Why Is Moldy Hay Dangerous?

• Coughing.
• Nasal discharge.
• Increased respiratory rate.
• Labored breathing.
• The presence of a “heave line” caused by abdominal muscles enlarging to help with breathing.

What color is mold in hay?

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. Feeding moldy hay to horses can result in serious problems, such as colic.

How can you tell the quality of hay?

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

Will horses pick through moldy hay?

Horses will eat moldy hay, especially if they have no alternative forage, but consuming moldy hay is dangerous and can cause digestive and respiratory diseases. Moldy hay can be fatal for horses; however, eating a small amount shouldn’t cause serious problems.

Can old hay make horses sick?

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 and, under some conditions, will produce mycotoxins.

Can horses eat slightly moldy hay?

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. If you suspect a mold toxin problem, review your horse’s nutrition and health.

Does soaking hay remove mold?

Many studies have shown soaking hay can reduce respirable particle concentration by at least 88%. Soaking can also reduce the amount of mold present. Nutrient content Some horse owners soak their hay to reduce the amount of sugars, or nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC), in the forage.

What does low quality hay look like?

Poor-quality hay may be damp and moldy with a musty or fermented smell. Hay that appears weathered, straw-like, or brown is likely low in nutritional value. If hay has been cut late in maturity, seed heads will be apparent in grass hay and blooms will be evident in alfalfa hay.

Is brown hay OK for horses?

Yellow throughout: it was overly mature when cut, which indicates reduced nutrient value and palatability to horses. Dark-brown or black: stay away. Hay this color was baled when wet, and doesn’t offer adequate nutrition. It also could make your horse sick.

What color should horse hay be?

Good quality hay should be bright green in color with little fading. A bleached, yellow, brown or black color may indicate aged hay, mold or poor storage conditions.

Can horses get sick from wet hay?

High moisture hay can also lead to the proliferation of bacteria, molds and fungus that can produce mycotoxins that are dangerous to horses and other livestock species. Some forage laboratories will test for the presence of mold and mycotoxins. If hay is moldy, do not feed it.

Can horses get grass sickness from hay?

Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) is a debilitating and frequently fatal disease, affecting grazing horses, ponies, and donkeys. However, there have been a few cases where horses with no access to grass have developed EGS where hay has been found to be the cause¹.

What does mold smell like in hay?

“Musty” and “stale” are the most accurate descriptors of what mold smells like. The musty odor is a result of the hodgepodge of mVOCs produced by the mold and released into the air.

Can horses eat old hay?

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.

What is the color of good quality hay?

Good hay color remains green and leaves and branches stay connected. This can be assessed by taking the material in the hands, if feels dry, then hay is ready for feed and high nutrients are available in the hay.

What is the most important indicator of hay?

The nutritional value of hay is the most important factor when determining its quality. This begins with the stage of plant maturity at time of harvest. Young, immature plants contain more nutrients than older, stemmier plants.

How long is a bale of hay good for?

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.

What does bad timothy hay look like?

Signs of bad hay:
Brown and brittle. Visible mold. A bun who turns their nose up at their favorite cutting.

Can hay get wet and still be good?

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.