# moldy hay



## peak (Apr 27, 2009)

I was storing some grass hay over winter and a few of the bottom bales were sitting in moisture apparently, because there is mold on them...only about a half inch deep, covering 20-40% of the side that was bottom down.

I'll throw the entire bales away if necessary, but is it? Is mold dangerous to goats, or will they just not eat it? bad idea to throw it in their feeder and let them pick around it?


----------



## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

I just throw it in and let them eat around it. Whats left gets thrown out as bedding. If the entire bale was wet when it was put up and the mold was completely through the entire bale that might be different but a little moldy edge on the bottom bales is pretty common.


----------



## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

I'm an "old horse gal" and whenever mold - really mold not just a bit stale - shows on a hay bale this goes out completely. Even the stale hay we had to feed - no other left at that time - the last two weeks has caused my goats to cough.


----------



## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

I'm half and half. Depends on how much mold...like just a bit on the bottom I would try and remove the moldy area and knock out or off as much as I can and feed it...on the other hand if it is really moldy or all the way through I would not feed it.

Mold could be a big problem for goats.


----------



## feederseaters (Nov 8, 2009)

Thanks for this thread. I volunteer at a draft horse rescue and they are ALWAYS disposing of even the slightly moldy bails into the woods. I have always thought that this is just a shame but never really gave thought to if my goats could eat it or not. I think I will bring a bail home and see how my boys pick at it. They never eat the hay that has touched the ground anyway. I am betting that I could just leave the bails whole (mold side down) for them to browse upon in between breakfast and dinner hay. Knowing my picky eaters, the moldy parts will be left alone while the rest of the edible hay will not go to waste. I hate seeing all that hay wasted! 

THANKS AGAIN


----------



## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

Mold spores can be really bad for goats to breathe. My rule has always been, if I can pull the mold off and feed the rest of the flake it's OK, if it's in the middle of the flake where you can't pick around it, the whole flake has to go. The reason for this is that the mold that forms on the bottom of a bale where it's gotten wet will only be on the part that got wet. The mold you see in the middle of the flake got there by improper processing of the hay (baled too wet, or not dried properly and is likely spreading through the whole flake.

I've been told by equine nutritionists that most molds are not a problem for livestock but I don't buy it. But if the area is removable it's wasteful to not use it.


----------

