Mold spots ok in hay?
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cowgal604 said:
I did it last year out of desperation but prefer not to.
kentuckyguy
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I also fed some hay that had mold last year and didn't really care for it. It really depends on how much mold the hay has.
Hay that's a little dusty is a lot different than hay filled with mold. The problem with a lot of mold is the hay doesn't have any nutrients. You can literally feed all the cows can eat and they will drop body condition score.
Lastly you have the respiratory irritation. After feeding cows moldy hay for a week or so you will hear a lot of coughing.
Hay that's a little dusty is a lot different than hay filled with mold. The problem with a lot of mold is the hay doesn't have any nutrients. You can literally feed all the cows can eat and they will drop body condition score.
Lastly you have the respiratory irritation. After feeding cows moldy hay for a week or so you will hear a lot of coughing.
JW IN VA
Well-known member
Even if it doesn't have much mold,unroll it so no one cow can get to a whole moldy section to herself.I have seen cows go for certain types of moldy hay.They could overeat on it.
A few years ago,my neighbors baled "dry" hay one day and proceeded to wrap it the next.Didn't wait for the heat to drive out the little extra moisture and didn't bale wet enough to ensile.They had a lot of dusty,moldy hay.Fed some in rings and had one steer come down with ensephylitis.
A few years ago,my neighbors baled "dry" hay one day and proceeded to wrap it the next.Didn't wait for the heat to drive out the little extra moisture and didn't bale wet enough to ensile.They had a lot of dusty,moldy hay.Fed some in rings and had one steer come down with ensephylitis.
wbvs58
Well-known member
If you already own it, you get away with it most times. If you are looking at buying it best to leave it.
Ken
Ken
snoopdog
Well-known member
Moldy hay CAN cause abortions, you be the judge of cost.
alisonb
Well-known member
Main concern would be possible Mycotic(fungal) abortions...would pass on that offer.
Thanks guys!! I turned it down. It was going for $6/bale delivered.... 65lbs bales. I ended up grabbing the stuff that was $14/bale and without mold. But man, as a rookie they had me convinced the mold was absolutely no issue for cows! I ended up buying hay from someone else so I didn't risk it.
farmerjan
Well-known member
The only way I would've taken the moldy hay, seeing how it was in small sq bales, was if I was willing to feed twice the amount, and needed the stuff they left behind for mulch. And around here it was only worth about $1-$2.00 a bale. Mulch hay prices.
We do find some moldy spots in the round bales occasionally; a wet /green clump of grass that gets wound up. But the cows never HAVE to eat it. It becomes bedding that they will lay on if it is really cold or something. Not going to buy moldy anything to bring home unless it is practically give away....
We do find some moldy spots in the round bales occasionally; a wet /green clump of grass that gets wound up. But the cows never HAVE to eat it. It becomes bedding that they will lay on if it is really cold or something. Not going to buy moldy anything to bring home unless it is practically give away....
Nesikep
Well-known member
I heard don't feed moldy hay in the last trimester of pregnancy.
If they hay had spots that never dried and were green, it seems to mold differently than hay that had properly dried out and then was baled a little too wet
If they hay had spots that never dried and were green, it seems to mold differently than hay that had properly dried out and then was baled a little too wet
