Knowledgebase

Hay Testing #775882

Asked October 20, 2021, 8:20 AM EDT

Hello, I would like to get my hay tested to make sure it is safe to feed. It is last year's hay but has been stored in dry clean garage with concrete floor. The hay smells good and looks fine. The reason why I am asking is that I began to feed a flake of hay in the evening about two months ago to my two mares. I did this for two weeks. Early in September we awoke to find my mare of 25 years dead. We were absolutely dumbstruck and destroyed. She ate her grain at 5 that evening and was completely fine. I have had her since she was born and she has never colicked or been sick in any way. The only change to her diet was the addition of the hay in the evening, but again, I had been feeding her that over 2 weeks before this happened with no problem. Because of the high 90s that weekend, we had to bury her fairly quickly, so I will never really know what happened. (There was no lightening or storms that evening, she's in a very contained 2 acre paddock with board fencing). I have about 30 bales of this hay and it was 10.00 a bale so I would like to feed it but I want to make sure that was not the cause. Can you advise?

Oldham County Kentucky

Expert Response

Contact your Ag and Natural Resources agent at your local Cooperative Extension office. Their number can be found here: http://extension.ca.uky.edu/county 

Beth Wilson Replied October 20, 2021, 8:31 AM EDT

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