FEEDING ROLLED HAY,LEFT OUT IN THE WEATHER

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Anonymous

I have a rented pasture that does not have a place to keep my hay in the dry, therefore it gets a little mold on the inner 6 inches are so. How bad is it to be feeding this and is there a special minerial supplment that I sould have out to help prevent any problem due to the mold.Thanks

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OP
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Anonymous

Unless they really get a shortage of anything decent, they won't eat the moldy parts very much. The thing to remember is that 6 inches in a 5 foot ball is over 1/4th of the bale that is being wasted. If hay costs like it does here, any type of tarping system that keeps the spoilage to a minimum is money well spent.

dunmovin farms

> I have a rented pasture that does
> not have a place to keep my hay in
> the dry, therefore it gets a
> little mold on the inner 6 inches
> are so. How bad is it to be
> feeding this and is there a
> special minerial supplment that I
> sould have out to help prevent any
> problem due to the mold.Thanks
 
OP
A

Anonymous

I feed alot of 2 year old hay, and if was put up as good hay, the cows don't really seem to mind the mold as long as it isn't too terrible.
 
OP
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Anonymous

Most importantly the quality of the hay deteriorates (with or without mold) the longer it is in the weather. This means the crude protein drops. Studies have shown a reduction of 30% dry matter in unprotected hay. This means to provide the same nutrient value to the cow when using old weathered hay, as compared to sheltered hay, you should be feeding some grain, protein supplement, etc. to make up for the reduction. Sheltered hay can be stored for years without any major deterioration in quality.

You can have the hay tested for nutrient value at the Extensio office, usually this is free or done for a modest fee. Then you really know what you are doing.

Cover it like Dun says, it's silly not to.
 
OP
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Anonymous

> Guys I hate to mention this but beef cows are scavengers that eat what isn't salable elsewhere. all my cover is used for square bales for horse people $120/ton I round bale the brambles, weeds, corn stalks and rank stuff as well as the stuff that got rained on and that I need off the field. That is what the cows get. I can usually buy a ton of good round bales for $50 to $75/ton who cares if they waste 20% of a bale, move the rings and call it bedding

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