Things Other Than Hay in Hay

[Pico_Banana]

I am a new horse farm owner and so have only been buying my own hay for six months now, all from the same supplier. In that time, I’ve used somewhere around 125-150 small square bales. Most of it is first cut, maybe 1/4 second cut. All from Canada.

In the first cut, I have had three instances of garbage found in the hay. The first was a N95 mask. The second was a plastic grocery bag. And this morning, I found some pieces of rubber covered copper electrical wire.

Needless to say, I have been very upset to see these things. What I don’t know is how normal this is? I understand that hay fields are not pristine environments, but at the same time, I really don’t expect to find something that potentially could kill my horse in the hay I am purchasing. Please help me understand if this is normal. As of right now, I’m looking for a new hay supplier.

[lenapesadie]

I would be looking for a new supplier as well. Three strikes and you’re out.

[beowulf]

Sounds like you’re getting hay from a field close to a busy road.

If you like the supplier and the quality of hay otherwise, have a talk. Ask them if you can get it from a different field; explain you’ve found some litter without sounding accusatory.

If you weren’t in love with the hay anyway, it’s time to find a new supplier.

3 out 150 bales is 2%. That’s a number I’m personally okay with living with if suppliers are thin and I like the hay. I buy from the farm next door and one of their fields is close to a very busy road. Every few months I might crack open a bale and find one with a McDonald’s cup or some such. I just remove it from the flake and go on.

The other side of my family grows and bales their own hay. I know all about how careless people are throwing things into the field, but trying to go litter picking in a hay field is an unreasonable ask (MHO). Too many acres, and it’s impossible to see trash unless you’re wading right through it.

[ThreeWishes]

I once found a mummified calf skull… hair attached. A dead snake. A full bottle of pepsi etc. Taught me to shake out my flakes Fo the most part I think the hay I’ve thrown over the years has been 99% hay. With the random surprise.

[beowulf]

Oh, yuck! Unfortunately the disc mower really does not indiscriminate between what is grass and what is in the grass but doesn’t quite belong…

I’ve never found a calf (thank god) but have occasionally found things like a chicken or turkey limb, snakes, the occasional small bird or rodent. For the most part I think what catches snakes is the baling - they are hanging out in the hay because the small rodents like all the disturbed seeds and bugs, but don’t always get out before the hay is baled.

I tend to throw out the flakes surrounding something dead just for extra measure, but totally up to personal preference. If the horses don’t care for it, they won’t eat it and that’s that.

[ThreeWishes]

Definitely ! And you’re right. In my experience when I see lovely hay left behind there’s generally a reason. Then it goes in the trash.

[wsmoak]

Stuff blows into the field and gets baled. I find shreds of paper cups or candy wrappers occasionally.
Once I found a metal rod with a loop on the end, probably one of the teeth from the tedder. Honestly I’d rather find paper or plastic than any weeds! If you like the hay otherwise, I might mention it to the seller but otherwise it’s just something I expect to happen occasionally.

[B-burg_Dressage]

I’ve found snakes, trash, and even a deer spine (I assume at least). I toss out the trash and perhaps the flake or two if the hay looks like it held moisture because of the offending item. It happens.

If it’s not super common and I’m happy with the hay otherwise then I don’t mind. I buy about 275 bales/year and expect to find a few things each year. But our hay supplier is a mile up the road, puts up nice weed-free hay, gives me a $0.50 discount for picking it up in the field, and always has extra for me if I run out before the next cutting. Cheapest and nicest hay combo I’ve found so I don’t mind tossing a few flakes occasionally.

[Scribbler]

I would worry more about noxious weeds than some scraps of dry paper.

Once my friend found an excellent dog retrieval rope training toy, from a hay farmer whose field ran up to a public walkway along the river.

I’ve found sticks and stones, the occasional bit of wire. Horses eat around it. As a teen I once found a mummified flat rabbit.

[Tarlo_Farm]

As others have said: pretty normal. And just wait until you find a long-dead snake…the stink…!

[furlong47]

Yep, flat animals, the occasional garbage… and I rode at one barn for a long time that had huge pastures, rotated turnout through them in different years, and would hay the ones not currently in use. If you lost a halter, bell boot, fly mask, etc it might eventually come back in the hay like a cracker jack prize

[B_and_B]

The trash annoys me. And I didn’t go back to the supplier who sold me hay that had a lot of roadside trash in it. But, the real reason I didn’t go back to him wasn’t the trash, though that probably would have done it (I mean, I get the random bit here and there, but this was definitely the entire verge). The deal breaker was bale after bale absolutely loaded with Black Cherry leaves. I kid you not. I figured out awfully fast why the guy had been complaining about horse people hating his hay when I went to pick it up. Yeah, I’d complain too!
Now, I try not to be desperate to buy hay. If only I would remember not to buy horses in December having bought the year’s supply of hay in October… Three times in a row, I’ve done that!

[Snowdenfarm]

Today I learned to appreciate the hay I get from my local farmer.

[S1969]

None of those things would kill your horse. I definitely would not ditch a supply of good hay because of 3 pieces of trash; especially the mask and the bag - things that could blow for miles. Blame your neighbors instead!

I would much rather deal with a few pieces of garbage than weeds. The farmer has little to no control over the garbage; if the hay is otherwise good, I’d be happy.

[x]

The oddest thing I ever found in my hay was a dead fish–now that one I have no idea how it got there! But things can get baled up in hay.

[2DogsFarm]

Agree that the trash you describe is easily baled w/o the person running the baler knowing it’s there.
And if that’s the worst stuff you found, I’d stick with that hayguy.
Imagine sitting at tractorseat-height & trying to see everything your baler is taking up.

I help my neighbors/hayguys by driving the truck hauling the wagon when they pick up bales.
I’ve seen (& took home) a stack of t-posts at the edge of one field that had been there for some time (vines grown on them) & not much trash if the fields are off the roads.

I live on an intersection of 2 fairly busy roads & when I mowed my lawn I was forever stopping to pick up glass bottles, cans & a LOT of paper trash.
Either tossed from passing cars, or blown onto my property.

In my baled hay I have found feathers, bunny fur < suggesting a nest & hoping the bunlets had escaped the mower, the occasional stryofoam cup, pop can, etc.

Worse than any of that were the bales I got from my former hayguy that were about 20% thorny weeds. Hurt my hands pulling them out of each flake & I cannot imagine my horses would have been able to manage eating with any less pain.
He offered to replace the hay, I just told him to not sell me anything from that field again.
We parted ways over another issue - wagon full of wet bales parked in my aisle.
Neighbor helped me push it into the indoor, where we found the middle bales wet enough to worry me.
I unloaded the worst, put them at the far end of my arena & cut them open, then spent a couple weeks unloading & stacking the rest of the 175 bales in my barn.
When I called hayguy to come get his wagon he raised the price by $.25/bale.
Strike 3

[walktrot]

BO’s father was out making round bales and lost his phone. This was before smart phones were invented. I had to drive the granddaughter, about age 8, all over the field for an hour in the Gator. . We struck out, of course.

It showed up in the mare’s pasture about 4 months later when the pieces fell out of a bale. GD gathered them up and gave them back to gramps.

[trubandloki]

I bale my own small squares.
If firing the “hay guy” for some trash in the bales was a thing then I would have to fire myself, and I care a great deal about what my horses eat.

Stuff blows into the hay field and is never seen again until the horses eat around it.

I found a rather large mylar balloon once, totally impressed with its ability to not be seen while we cut and baled.
We did find the dogs favorite ball in a stall once. It had gotten lost in the hay field during a game of fetch. We looked for it many times (no other identical to me ball was as good as that one per the dog). We kept an eye for it when we did hay. And there it was, eaten around on the stall floor.

As far as dead animals, we seem to get frogs and snakes more than anything.

[Pico_Banana]

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. I really just didn’t know what was the norm. And in my mind, I would have been okay with the type of “natural” things people have mentioned, like unfortunate animals, etc. – it was the wire that really caused concern.

I also feel better about my horse being smart enough to eat around stuff that shouldn’t be eaten.

[Alterration]

Found a balloon the other day. Of course it was not the hay guy’s fault. I have no idea given today’s equipment how they would prevent that.