From: Darlene
Dear Jessica, I have a big problem and I hope you can help me. My husband just brought a big load of hay home to get our horses through the rest of the winter until our regular supplier has his first cutting in May.
I know that hay doesn't look all that good in winter usually, but this really looks strange. It doesn't smell nice and it has all these real dark stuck-together looking areas in it. They're sort of a blackish green color.
I need to know if this is okay to feed my horses and also if it's good nutrition for them.
Please help soon! I have about twelve bales of the old (good) hay left, and I need to know if I have to send the other hay back and try to find something else. My husband won't even consider buying hay cubes, he says they're way too expensive.
Darlene
Hi Darlene!
You're really asking two separate questions, so I'll answer them in order. The first is about hay quality and safety, and from your description, it seems clear to me that you should send the hay back. A brownish colour wouldn't be a problem in itself; clover hay can turn somewhat brown without there being anything wrong with it. But good hay will ALWAYS smell nice, even if it's a little bit stemmy, and even if it's a little bit older or a little bit sunburnt. The bad smell and the dark areas you describe sound like mold -- and that's something you definitely need to keep away from your horses. Your own good judgement will let you choose good hay (green, lots of leaves, sweet-smelling, soft) or reject bad hay (yellow, stemmy, bad-smelling).
Your second question is about nutrition, and that's another story! It's easy to identify the hay that you don't want to give to your horses, but no matter how good the hay you find may be, you won't be able to tell its nutritional value by looking at it or handling it. Whenever you get a new load of hay, call your extension specialist and ask about having the hay analzyed. For less than US $50, you'll be able to find out exactly what your hay does and doesn't provide. That information will help you figure out the best feeding plan for your horses, and it will affect your choice of grain or grain mix, supplements, etc. It's a good investment.
For now, I'd say that your instincts are very good. If I were you, I'd send back the moldy hay and start looking for something else. Use hay cubes if there's no good hay available. Tell your husband that he's right, hay cubes are expensive, but they are a lot cheaper than vet bills, which is what you'll get if you feed moldy hay.
Jessica
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