Chopped hay going bad in a week?

[TwoSweetPeas]

I picked up a bag of chopped hay (Lucerne Farms Hi Fiber Gold) seven days ago. I’m about a third of the way through it, and it’s now starting to smell off. I think it’s going bad.

Should chopped hay last longer than this?

If yes, what are your tips for making it last longer? Besides getting through the hot, humid months, which I’m hoping will help? I’m in the northeast, and currently storing it in a container in my house.

If not – tips for a forage-based snack I can feed my horse while tacking up?

Thanks!

[ryansgirl]

It should last a heck of a lot longer than a week especially if you are storing it in a climate controlled area! I buy the Triple Crown forage and store it in the barn. I go through a bad every 3-4 weeks and it’s never gone bad - I’m in NH where it’s been hot and horribly humid too. I only buy a bag at a time and the place I buy it from stores their feed in a climate controlled building. There is another feed store around that stores feed in tractor trailers and there is NO way I’d buy from them despite how good their tack shop is (they do feed and tack). Any chance the bag you bought was from a place that doesn’t store feed properly especially during summer? Or maybe they didn’t rotate their stock? Hi-Fi Gold isn’t a fast mover like the regular Hi-Fi.

[AKB]

We have had Lucerne Farms Dengie stay fresh for months when the bags are unopened and the weather is cool. In this heat and humidity, I would plan to use an open bag in 2 days, or keep it in the air conditioned house. In the house, an open bag should be fine for days.

[gumtree]

Curious, given that you are located in the NE where quality hay is grown and should be plentiful. Especially this time of year. Why would you feed “bagged hay” at $15 a bale?

There is nothing special about this stuff from what I can see on the label,
"Dehydrated chopped timothy hay, oat hay, alfalfa hay, cane molasses, propionic acid (preservative).

All hay is “Dehydrated”. The label doesn’t give a percentage of each “type”.
I grow and bale excellent Orchard with 1/3 Timothy, First cutting 40+lb bales I am selling right now for $6. Second cutting $7.

As to your question, I would check the bag before buying/opening and make sure it does not have a hole in it. Given the fact you are located in a high humidity area the very dry hay, (the manufacturer does not give moisture level) can and will suck in some, a lot of moisture. It is in a plastic bag and cannot “natural wick out”, breathe so the moisture can and will collect over time heat up and provide a breeding ground for mold.

If the bag is not compromised and the hay after opening is being “stored” in the bag it might be better once opened to take it out of the bag.

Per the label the hay is baled/processed with propionic acid basically a salt. Pretty much SOP with all hay producers in high humidity baling areas. Some horse will become disinterred with the “salty” taste after a while. The cane molasses maybe added to keep their interest and to keep the extremely dry processed hay from crumbling and turning into flakey “dust”.

We use Silo King Hay preservative, a dry granular “natural” preservative that is dropped/spread on the hay as it enters the baling chamber instead of being sprayed like propionic acid. I am told some hay producers also add green food coloring to the water based “acid mix” to gives the hay a bright green color. Both work well but Silo King has little to no residual “flavor” or smell.

Producers cannot “push” baling moisture levels as high with Silo King as they can with propionic acid.

We are located in a high humidity area bale and put up around 200 tons a year. We rarely find bad bales. The hay is just as good in looks and smell come late spring the following year as it was when baled.

Smell is not always indicative of the quality and or if the bale is good or not. What we like to smell isn’t always the same as what a horse likes to smell.

If the flakes in a bale are “caked” tight, with little to no smell, or a slightly "off "smell, but more importantly give off white “mold dust” when patted the hay is not good.

I have never used “bagged” hay. I would assume that after being processed it is compressed pretty tight so the above “caked tight” may not apply. And the fact I have never used it I am guessing as to why it is going bad on you. But my “guess” is based on making a lot of hay over the years. Good and bad.

[TwoSweetPeas]

Gumtree, I’m boarding one of my horses at a barn that’s a perfect fit in every way except that the horses are done with their hay around 7 or 8, and I ride in the evening after work, so my horse pretty much has nothing to eat after I ride, for way too long (until the next AM). I want a substantial snack I can give that’s forage-based, but that I can store at home and easily bring to the barn (via the office) each day, so that my horse has something to eat while I’m tacking up (allowing me to save the hay that’s left in the stall when I get there for post-ride eating).

I know that throwing her an extra couple flakes at night would be worlds better, but that isn’t an option at this barn and buying my own hay is not an option for storage reasons. A bucket of chopped hay at least gets more fiber into her at night and helps extend her evening hay a little, which is better than nothing, and I think chopped hay is a little better for my purposes than hay stretcher would be (though if others have thoughts on this I’d love to hear them).

But I do need the bag to last longer than a week. When I bought the bag, it smelled like hay, and somewhat sweet. Now I’m starting to get a whiff of something pretty unpleasant. Ryansgirl, I bought it from a place that stores in an open-air garage — maybe that is part of the problem, this time of year. I’ll check out some other stores.

Unless, Gumtree, you think the unpleasant odor is not indicating that the stuff is going bad? I don’t think I can let my mare give me her opinion as to whether its good or bad, because she is such a piglet I think she’d eat anything I offered her no matter what it was. There is definitely no mold dust when you pat it, but it does smell a lot different than it did when I first opened the bag.

Thanks everyone!

[BuddyRoo]

Would it be possible for your barn to set aside her portion of hay in the barn so you can just feed her when you’re done? I mean, you’re already paying for that. It seems silly to have to buy more forage.

[AKB]

We have fed Dengie hay to our old and picky guy when he was having trouble maintaining his weight, and wouldn’t eat senior grain. It is also wonderful for heaves horses who have mold allergies. Dengie is also a good product for travel. I worry about dust when I put hay in the trailer hay bags. Using wet Dengie or wet Standlee compressed alfalfa gets water into the horse and is not dusty.

[SonnysMom]

How about feeding hay cubes? If you use hot water they don’t take much time to soften up. I carry a bag in my truck and have been giving an alfalfa cube mash on the trailer ride home. My horse isn’t good about drinking out of a bucket at the trail head so I figure the wet cubes will add some hydration. I suspect he has a history of ulcers so the alfalfa isn’t a bad thing.

My local TSC has a few varieties of hay cubes. (Timothy, Timothy/Alfalfa, Alfalfa) The cubes will have longer fibers than the hay stretcher pellets. I normally use Standlee but a friend uses Triple Crown. I noticed the Triple Crown seems to have more longer hay pieces. It is like the Standlee is chopped finer before being compressed.

[gumtree]

[QUOTE=TwoSweetPeas;8287618]
Gumtree, I’m boarding one of my horses at a barn that’s a perfect fit in every way except that the horses are done with their hay around 7 or 8, and I ride in the evening after work, so my horse pretty much has nothing to eat after I ride, for way too long (until the next AM). I want a substantial snack I can give that’s forage-based, but that I can store at home and easily bring to the barn (via the office) each day, so that my horse has something to eat while I’m tacking up (allowing me to save the hay that’s left in the stall when I get there for post-ride eating).

I know that throwing her an extra couple flakes at night would be worlds better, but that isn’t an option at this barn and buying my own hay is not an option for storage reasons. A bucket of chopped hay at least gets more fiber into her at night and helps extend her evening hay a little, which is better than nothing, and I think chopped hay is a little better for my purposes than hay stretcher would be (though if others have thoughts on this I’d love to hear them).

But I do need the bag to last longer than a week. When I bought the bag, it smelled like hay, and somewhat sweet. Now I’m starting to get a whiff of something pretty unpleasant. Ryansgirl, I bought it from a place that stores in an open-air garage — maybe that is part of the problem, this time of year. I’ll check out some other stores.

Unless, Gumtree, you think the unpleasant odor is not indicating that the stuff is going bad? I don’t think I can let my mare give me her opinion as to whether its good or bad, because she is such a piglet I think she’d eat anything I offered her no matter what it was. There is definitely no mold dust when you pat it, but it does smell a lot different than it did when I first opened the bag.

Thanks everyone![/QUOTE]

Makes sense.

I assume you horse is stalled on shavings. IMO one of a number of draw backs to bedding on shavings instead of straw is they have nothing to nibble on when their hay runs out. Our stalled horses get around 20 lbs per day, Divided up. When they go through it they can munch on the straw.

We have a fairly large population. Only had one case of colic in the past 10+ years. It was not a stalled horse.

There are some who think that it is not good for a horse to munch on straw. But in fact a number of the best TB trainers in the world feel just the opposite. There are some good studies to back this up.

As to whether the “hay” is good or not hard to say without seeing/smelling it. A lot of very experienced horse people have a hard to time with this. Surprisingly so don’t feel bad. Are you keeping it in the trunk of your car? If so, that and the hot humid weather maybe a contributing factor.

When in doubt throw it out. Or return it.

[sascha]

[QUOTE=TwoSweetPeas;8286664]
I picked up a bag of chopped hay (Lucerne Farms Hi Fiber Gold) seven days ago. I’m about a third of the way through it, and it’s now starting to smell off. I think it’s going bad.

Should chopped hay last longer than this?

If yes, what are your tips for making it last longer? Besides getting through the hot, humid months, which I’m hoping will help? I’m in the northeast, and currently storing it in a container in my house.

If not – tips for a forage-based snack I can feed my horse while tacking up at a boarding barn I love, except that I wish they fed a bit more hay?

Thanks![/QUOTE]

If it came in a bag and you took it out of the bag and put it in a container, that is your problem. Ensiled feed needs not to be exposed to air for any length of time. It needs to stay tightly packed, out of direct light, and out of fresh air.

If I were you, I’d feed hay cubes. They are much less finicky about how they are stored.

[cayuse]

I have fed Lucerne Totally Timothy for almost four years as I have a pony with allergies. I noticed at the first of this year I was having the same problem as the OP and this was before the heat and humidity. It started with every third bag or so, ended up being almost every bag.
Some of the bags were “off” upon opening. They looked OK, but smelled odd and pony was getting turned off by it.
I find it unusual that the product was so consistent for that long and then suddenly wasn’t. I put my pony on regular hay, but this worries me as it has to be timothy and most of it around here is a mix.
At least now I know it’s not me.
I wish I could feed cubes or pellets but they all have alfalfa added and he is allergic (hives)

[Simbalism]

I live in Va where it is very hot and humid in the summer. I use Triple Crown Alfalfa forage for my two TB mares as a little snack while I am tacking/untacking them. A bag usually lasts at least a few weeks. I have never had it go bad. I wonder if the bag maybe got wet or something in storage?

[gumtree]

[QUOTE=sascha;8289754]
If it came in a bag and you took it out of the bag and put it in a container, that is your problem. Ensiled feed needs not to be exposed to air for any length of time. It needs to stay tightly packed, out of direct light, and out of fresh air.

If I were you, I’d feed hay cubes. They are much less finicky about how they are stored.[/QUOTE]

This is not Silage hay

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/lucerne-farms-hi-fiber-horse-feed-40-lb

[sascha]

[QUOTE=gumtree;8290729]
This is not Silage hay

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/lucerne-farms-hi-fiber-horse-feed-40-lb[/QUOTE]

Oh my! Then I’d say something’s maybe going wrong during processing. We’d never expect regular hay to change its smell beyond getting less strong as it ages.

Or, wait a sec, I just looked at the ingredients, betchya it’s the molasses that’s going off/fermenting.

[gumtree]

[QUOTE=sascha;8291183]
Oh my! Then I’d say something’s maybe going wrong during processing. We’d never expect regular hay to change its smell beyond getting less strong as it ages.

Or, wait a sec, I just looked at the ingredients, betchya it’s the molasses that’s going off/fermenting.[/QUOTE]

Good point. We buy molasses by the gallon. When the jog gets low and in hot weather it gets a sour, fermented smell.

[Chief2]

The rule of thumb I always had with Lucerne Dengie is to use it within a week after opening the bag. If Cayuse is noticing it being off upon opening the bag, then something is definitely going on. Lucerne is usually good about dealing with customer concerns and complaints. Give them a call.

[Cherry]

I used to buy Dengie for my pony-- he didn’t really care for it. I felt it had too much molasses in it.

I bought Triple Crown for my horse and was much happier with it–lots less molasses!

Never had any problem with the Dengie and I live in SE PA but I can see how it could happen with the amount of molasses in it. I would call the place you bought it from and complain! I would also call Lucerne Farms and complain. I’ve called LF a couple of times and found them to be customer friendly. Someone should replace that bale for you!

You really should give Triple Crown Forage a try though.

[Cherry]

I used to buy Dengie for my pony-- he didn’t really care for it. I felt it had too much molasses in it.

I bought Triple Crown for my horse and was much happier with it–lots less molasses!

Never had any problem with the Dengie and I live in SE PA, but I can see how it could happen with the amount of molasses in it. I always left the product in the bag it came in.

I would call the place you bought it from and complain! I would also call Lucerne Farms and complain. I’ve called LF a couple of times and found them to be customer friendly. Someone should replace that bale for you!

You really should give Triple Crown Forage a try though.

[cayuse]

I should call them too. I have before about things and they were good to deal with. I liked the product and would use it again if I could.