# What does moldy hay/alfalfa look like ?



## Drmike (Jun 23, 2019)

lots of advice to not feed moldy hay or alfalfa but I’m not sure how to ID

Can anyone advise. Is it smell or colour change?

The alfalfa bales I have had for 3 months have turned yellower but has always had some brown bits inside 

What’s the rules ?


Cheers


----------



## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Usually I go by smell. As well as texture, crunchy and dry vs. moist and limp.

But you can see often visibly on stalks of hay if white or black mold is present.

Better safe than sorry.


----------



## jodane (Apr 18, 2017)

I agree with Nigeriandwarfowner707, smell is going to be the first clue. Alfalfa has a great smell to it, makes me want to take a big bite! YUM. Moldy hay is going to 1. smell like mold..NOT yum. 2. when you pull the flakes apart you'll see lots of pluming "dust" which would be the mold spores. 
Once you've seen moldy hay you'll know it immediately. Changing of color really just means it's drying out and probably losing a bit of quality. It's going to mold only if it's someplace where it's getting wet.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Smell it, if it smells moldy, it is bad.

Look at it, you may see ash like color or black spots. 

When you pull it apart, you will see a powder dust, come out from it.


----------



## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

I go by smell/mold dust mostly, I cant see well and some weeds dry black/gray/brown but is great brows, they love it, mold can kill


----------



## spidy1 (Jan 9, 2014)

heres a few pics... THIS IS NOT MY HAY


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good example.


----------



## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Bad hay smells musty, not sweet like hay should smell. The hay itself may feel damp or sticky. The inside might feel warm. (On a round bale, especially). There is a difference between mold dust and regular hay dust. (If hay was over ripe when baled, it might be a bit dusty). Mold dust is kind of a white cloud like talcum powder blown into the air.


----------

