Moldy Hay

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Anonymous

I Have a bit of moldy hay and wonder if it's safe to put out and let the steers pick through it. The steers are around 500 lbs if that matters.

Thank you in advance for your answers. Andrew

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We had a large rounf bale that got soaked and started to mold and rot. I took it and just scattered it so the cows could pick through it and eat whatever was still good. To my amazement they cleaned it up so thouroghly that I don't think there is a 5 gallon bucket left of stuff they didn't eat. That was a week and a half ago, all is well. If you let the moldiness dry out completely they seem to be able to eat it ok. I wouldn't make it there only diet, ours still had pasture to graze and only used the hay as a snack.

dunmovin farms

> I Have a bit of moldy hay and
> wonder if it's safe to put out and
> let the steers pick through it.
> The steers are around 500 lbs if
> that matters.

> Thank you in advance for your
> answers. Andrew
 
If dry moldy hay is fed, the cows tend to inhale the "dust." This can cause lung infections, sometimes severe ones. Some kinds of mold can cause abortion in pregnant cows.

Small amounts of moldy hay is often fed to steers as an economical measure. Most often it turns out ok, but sometimes there can be harm to the animals.

My spouse & I used to disagree on the subject of feeding moldy hay until one of our cows came up with a lung infection and coughed for a year. We don't feed it any more.
 

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