Salting tough hay?

[ohiosteve]

I baled a few hundred small bales of grass hay that was borderline too green. We had major rain coming so I decided to risk it. Not too bad but I was nervous to put it in the barn. I talked to an old timer who told me to get a couple bags of fine stock salt and sprinkle it on each layer of bales stacked cut end up. He said the cows will love it and it would help keep the bales better. I did just like he said, and used a fistfull for every 2 bales. Just wondering if anyone else has done this and what they thought. Thanks.

 

[kenny thomas]

Done it a couple times in the past with good results. Worked well and the cows seemed to like it.

 

[Bigfoot]

I wonder what the science is there. Will the salt draw the moisture out?

 

[Banjo]

I've done that...it must be like a preservative.

 

[Banjo]

I baled a few hundred small bales of grass hay that was borderline too green. We had major rain coming so I decided to risk it. Not too bad but I was nervous to put it in the barn. I talked to an old timer who told me to get a couple bags of fine stock salt and sprinkle it on each layer of bales stacked cut end up. He said the cows will love it and it would help keep the bales better. I did just like he said, and used a fistfull for every 2 bales. Just wondering if anyone else has done this and what they thought. Thanks.

I would check it to see if its getting hot for a couple of weeks.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I've done it too with good results. But I also bury a probe for a wireless thermometer deep in the stack. That way I can keep a watch to make sure it isn't getting too hot.

 

[dieselbeef]

wed dump molasses on crappy hay.

maybe the salt is what theyre after and theyll eat yer hay to get it

 

[fitz]

I wonder what the science is there. Will the salt draw the moisture out?

That's what I've always heard. It was done a lot on damp stacked squares in the barns.


fitz

 

[J&D Cattle]

I wonder what the science is there. Will the salt draw the moisture out?

That's what I've always heard. It was done a lot on damp stacked squares in the barns.


fitz

Old timers around here used to put a layer of salt between the stacks as a precautionary measure on all of their squares.

 

[herefordlover]

it works we do it and the cows do seem to really dive in after it .... who wants to ride on the bige baler and dribble it in to see if it works that way too