So I’ve got 350+ bales of 1st cut orchard grass that’s super soft hay that My TBs refuse to eat and my ponies will only nibble it in a dry lot setting with zero other options. I can not figure out why they won’t eat it. Hell I’ve tasted, but if they won’t eat it, I’ve got to figure out something else. How do I get rid of it? I hate to give it away…advertise as goat or cattle hay?
Just because your horses won’t eat it doesn’t mean someone else’s horses won’t. I’d post it for sale at a discount over local prices and make the buyer pick it up.
I agree, no need to sell it as cow/goat hay just because yours won’t eat it. Out of curiosity, what type of hay are you going from? How long have they tried it?
Can you smell the difference between hay that’s been treated with a drying agent and hay that has not?
I learned that lesson the hard way some years back. Same story as yours - my horses wouldn’t touch ANY of it. It smelled “different”. That different was a drying agent and they would rather starve thru the winter than eat it
Far as getting rid it, yes I have sold hay at a very big discounted rate to my cow neighbor. He comes and gets it - he is ecstatic and so are his cows:)
That said, sometimes they refuse a bale here and there. I figure some critter has peed on it and the smell has dissipated to where I can’t smell it. That’s when my other neighbor’s goats like me:)
Have you tried working with your hay supplier?
Would they be willing to let you try a bale from another cutting, from a different field, or??
I’d expect a charge for removing the “inedible” & delivering(& stacking?) replacement hay, but that might be an option.
OR:
Try feeding a bale from another part of your stack. Could just be that particular section is not acceptable to your horses.
Another bale could be Nom!