How to Store Your Hay for Maximum Value
While hay is often praised as being a hardy feed source for livestock, it's not impervious to damage and loss. If you're not taking the necessary steps to store your hay properly, you may not even realise how much you're losing. Hay loss can drive up the costs of livestock husbandry, reducing your profits considerably. If you grow your own hay on-farm, you're also throwing time and labour costs down the drain.
Generally, the main adversary of your hay is moisture. It's important that hay isn't completely dry, but too much moisture can quickly lead to mould and deterioration. Luckily, just a few simple, moisture-reducing steps could help keep all your hay in optimal condition, maximising both its monetary value and its nutritional value.
Choose the Right Location
Do you just store your hay anywhere it fits? While this may seem convenient, it could be leading to hay loss. It's important to find an area with low moisture in which to store your bales.
Where possible, try to store your hay bales upland. Storage sites at the bottom of hills are, unsurprisingly, prone to flooding. This can lead to waterlogged hay, and the wet, heavy soil can further increase moisture. It's also better to store your hay somewhere with access to sunlight and wind. Hay that's stored in a shaded area or near a structure that obstructs breezes will dry out much slower. The longer moisture stays in your hay, the more damage it will do.
Of course, it would be counterproductive to completely expose your hay to the elements. While shaded areas aren't ideal, it's always a good idea to cover your hay with a hay tarp.
Use a Hay Tarp
Strong, water-resistant canvas tarps are the ideal way to prevent moisture getting through to you hay. They're durable, and they come in sizes big enough to cover whole stacks, which makes them less expensive to use than one-use hay caps. Canvas is also preferably to plastic because it's more breathable, avoiding too much condensation underneath and allowing your hay to dry out when needed. When secured to the ground, a tarp will stay put even in strong winds, reducing the risk of storm damage.
Hay tarps are designed to be used for a long time, but adverse circumstances can cause wear and tear. If yours becomes damaged, make sure you contact a tarp repair professional as soon as possible. A damaged tarp can allow moisture through to your hay, making the use of the tarp pointless.
