What does Hot hay mean?

Unfortunately, moist hay can quickly become hot hay which can ignite through spontaneous combustion. Most farmers strive to bale hay that is field dried to 20 percent or less in moisture. At this moisture content, the baled hay can cure properly and maintain quality.

What causes hot hay?

“Excessive moisture is the most common cause of hay fires,” Schroeder says.” Odd as it might seem, wet hay is more likely to lead to a spontaneous-combustion fire than dry hay.” High-moisture haystacks and bales can catch on fire because they have chemical reactions that build heat.

Can horses eat hot hay?

Hay baled at higher moisture levels will heat up and bind nutrients making them unavailable for horses to digest. Under extreme heating, the hay will change from a rich green color, indicative of proper curing, to a brownish shade.

Can hay get too hot?

At 150 degrees, hay is becoming dangerously hot and should be checked at least once a day. If the temperature rises to 160 degrees, monitor the temperature every three to four hours and be aware of changes in odor and signs of smoking.

What happens when hay sweats?

Even hay baled between 15%-20% moisture will experience what is known as “sweating.” Sweating, in regard to hay bales, refers to microbial respiration, which will create heat and result in dry matter (DM) loss. A good rule of thumb is that you should expect a 1% DM loss per 1% decrease of moisture after baling.

? What is Yeet Hay? (Hot Air, 熱氣, Shang Huo, 上火)

How do you keep hay from heating up?

Disassemble stacked hay bales to promote air circulation to cool the hay. Hay has reached the danger zone. Check hay temperature every couple of hours. Disassemble stacked hay bales to promote air circulation to cool the hay.

What can I do with hot hay bales?

If possible, stacked hay should be disassembled to allow more air to move around heated bales for cooling. Temperature 175 degrees F -- Hot spots or fire pockets are likely. If possible, stop all air movement around hay. Alert fire service of a possible hay fire incident.

What is caramelized hay?

Caramelized, heat-damaged hay undergoes an adverse nutrient transformation in an aerobic environment with moisture as the catalyst. It often occurs when the temperature of the poorly cured hay reaches 140°F to 170°F.

What does warm hay smell like?

Color and aroma.

Good hay smells fresh and slightly sweet. Acrid or musty smells usually indicate the presence of mold.

What happens when hay heats?

Heating causes changes in the chemical structure of the hay which reduce its feed quality. Chemical bonds form between carbohydrate and protein, reducing metabolisable energy content and protein availability.

Is 3 year old hay still good?

Consider these points: If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years. Keep in mind that hay, even premium forage, loses much of its vitamin content in the first few months of storage.

What kind of hay is bad for horses?

Clover and grass hay (different types of clovers like red, white, etc.) Prone to fungus. Protein and fiber-rich. However, they are prone to fungus, and red clover can cause excess salivation in horses.

How can you tell good quality hay?

Can horses eat hay that has been rained on?

Rained-on hay can be a suitable forage, especially for horses prone to laminitis. Forage quality tends to be retained if: The rain occurs soon after cutting when the forage has had little time to dry.

Is burning hay toxic?

Toxic gas: Toxic gasses such as carbon monoxide can be released by smoldering and burning hay. Chemically treated hay may emit additional toxic gas vapors.

Is it OK for hay to get wet?

Unfortunately, rain can damage hay in several ways. Rain leaches soluble nutrients and keeps the moisture level high, thus increasing the likelihood of decay and mold. Hay rained on during field drying of course damages legume hay more than grass hay and the drier the hay when rain occurs, the greater the damage.

How can you tell if hay is fresh?

Signs that your horse hay may be bad include a lack of color or dried-out appearance, a moldy smell, excessive dust, visible mold, or excessive heat towards the center of the hay bale. Because hay provides your horse with so many essential nutrients, you must provide your horse with the best quality hay available.

Will horses eat moldy hay?

Moldy hay can kill a horse. It's a cause of colic that can be fatal, and some types of mold are toxic to horses. And inhaled mold spores enter horses' respiratory systems when they eat, causing heaves or other chronic respiratory diseases. Feeding moldy hay to horses is dangerous.

Can horses eat green hay?

While alfalfa is considered an ideal hay, horses can also eat timothy, clover and tall fescue hays as well as mixtures of these hays. No matter what the variety of hay they eat, hay that retains its green color is preferable to yellow hay, and clean hay is a priority.

Will cows eat burnt hay?

Feed quality changes after heating

Heating of hay without burning is often thought by livestock producers to be beneficial, because it increases palatability of the hay. However, while palatability and potential intake may be increased, feed value of the hay is likely to be reduced.

How hot should hay get?

From a quality perspective, it is best if hay temperatures stay well below 130° F, but there is little risk of fire up to that point. It is a continued temperature rise above 130° F that signals potential danger, and detecting those conditions is the purpose of monitoring bale or stack temperatures.

Does hay get moldy?

Mold and bacteria will grow on hay (without preservative added) at moisture levels above 14% to 15%. The mold growth produces heat, carbon dioxide and water, which further damages the hay. Moldy hay can result in dry matter and nutrient loss and produce spores and dust.

Does hay heat up after baling?

Most hay goes through one or more heating cycles (a sweat) immediately after baling. It is not unusual for internal bale temperature to exceed 100° F and it may goes as high as 130° F to 140° F if enough moisture and oxygen are present.

Why do farmers salt hay?

Sprinkling salt over bales of hay is a tradition some farmers have used for added assurance that the moisture is drawn out of their hay.

How long does it take for hay to spontaneously combust?

When the internal temperature of hay rises above 130 degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees C) it provokes a chemical reaction producing flammable gases that can ignite. Most hay fires occur within 6-weeks of baling.