Hay Production and Storage

[Stocker Steve]

Small diary operations here continue to shut down, some crop ground was seeded back into forage, and we had near record rain. All this resulted in a big hay surplus.
How long would you consider storing hay - - either in a shed or wrapped in plastic?

 

[dun]

Inside storage net wrapped we use it 3-4 years old. Baleage about 2 -3 years

 

[ClinchValley]

Small diary operations here continue to shut down, some crop ground was seeded back into forage, and we had near record rain. All this resulted in a big hay surplus.
How long would you consider storing hay - - either in a shed or wrapped in plastic?

Lucky!!!

 

[BC]

SS, I put some square bales up one year and had them tested for our Extension evaluation clinic. The hay checked 14.4% crude protein. On a whim, I checked some of the bale that were left from that cutting 9 years latter (they were wire tied so I knew what year I put them in). The sample I sent in checked 14.2% crude protein. Always heard that hay coming out of a barn would be just as good coming out as it was going in the barn.

 

[Supa Dexta]

As long as it was put in alright to begin with.

Know a guy who moved into a place, there was hay on the mow.. He cleaned it out and sent it to the local auction and it sold ok. Looking back the hay was prob 30 yrs old, since no one on the place had put hay up for a good long while. ha

 

[Bigfoot]

As others have stated, a long long time. Always heard, at some point the vitamins deteriate, but the minerals and protein are fine.