How long to keep hay?

Question

Hey all, I am wondering how long you should store hay. I bought hay last winter for my horses and stopped feeding in spring when the grass started growing and have some left over. Right now we have them turned out in the irrigated pasture because hay is so expensive but I am wondering how long I can keep the 6 bales I have left in the barn. It is dry and away from elements so would a year be ok or should I just start feeding it to get it out? Thanks!

Answer 1

Just watch out for mold and bird droppings.Shake it out before you feed.. It may lose color and some of the nutrition but can be fed.Yeah hay is very expensive.

Answer 2

yep it should be fine, i keep mine for a year and the horses dont seem to mind, as long as you keep it away from the elements.

Answer 3

I keep mine too.

I have nine bales left from the winter stock.  My horses are on pasture right now...so I'm not feeding the hay.

When I move in the new harvest, I make sure the 'old' bales are right in front, so they get used first.  I use them when the fields dry out.  It's not as good a quality as the new harvest...but they have been on drying pastures, and even the old hay has more nutrition than that.

Mine do just fine that way...and I don't 'waste' any by feeding when it is not needed.  Out of the elements and sun, and it should retain most of it's nutritional value for a year.  I'd save it until I needed to start feeding again.

Answer 4

I feed it till its gone... Heck I would buy that hay from you lol.  

Your fine, just go ahead and use it :)

Answer 5

Your hay should be fine as long as it is kept dry and out of the sun. It will lose some nutritional value over time but will still be good for them.

Answer 6

Your hay is just fine.  It might lose color, but if it is kept dry, it will still have the nutritional value.

Answer 7

I just bought my hay for the year. The guy I bought it from is nice enough to store it in his barn until it's all used up as I don't have a place to store it. I have had the hardest time, here in Northern Georgia, finding good hay for a decent price...and once I found it, I bought it...lol.

Just as long as it's out of the elements your hay should be fine =)

Answer 8

we have got cows and horses and we've left our left over hay in the barn for about a year and a half before, and they cant even tell the difference