# How to stop hay from molding?



## Misty789 (Jul 29, 2013)

We live up north so it is very wet almost all the time here. We keep our hay in the barn which is in no way sealed, and we have no other place to store it. How do we stop the hay from molding? I've heard of salting it, or I thought of maybe putting a tarp over the bales we have out? The individual bales seem to mold rather than the stacked bales. I'm just really concerned about my horses getting the hay that's molded, I inspect it every time but obviously I can't see everything, and we can't afford extra hay. Thank you for all info!
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## Dawn854 (Aug 11, 2013)

Instead of leaving your hay on the ground, try stacking it on top of wooden pallets. That way you get airflow underneath it which helps to keep it dry. We put ours under a couple of tarps, with some tyres on top and baling twine to help hold it together. It keeps our hay nice and dry and the tyres on top (covered by the tarp) help to allow the water to drain downwards instead of pooling on top of the hay.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

salting will help if you first stack it, to get excess moisture out. 
If it gets wet/ moldy from the elements, you'll have to keep it off the ground, covered, but still allow airflow. A double stack of pallets, and tarp over, but build a frame kind of with either tires, as said above, or 4x4's, to lay the tarp on, so it doesn't touch the hay and air can circulate. Then tie our weigh the tarp down.


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## amigoboy (Feb 14, 2014)

You can put your hay to bed by covering it with straw, wool blankets or anything that will absorb air mousture.
And as mentioned "keep it off the ground!!"


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## VickiRose (Jul 13, 2013)

Use tarps, keep it off the ground, if you are using round bales, get net wrapped not string wrapped as the netting helps repel moisture too. Importantly, make sure the hay is made right to start with. Badly made hay will mould despite whatever you do to store it properly.


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

We put ours on wooden pallets that keep it about 5 inches off the ground. We also don't let it touch the walls. 

As far as I know you can't stop it from molding once it's already started. You can't reverse the effect.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

When you buy your next batch of hay, inspect it well. Sometimes, hay is baled before it is dry enough and then no matter what you do, it will mold. 

I always salt my hay. Use pickling salt and throw handfuls over each layer before putting the next layer on top. If you have the space, restack your hay now as per the suggestions above, pulling out any that you suspect of mold.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Make sure it was baled at 18% or lower moisture. Make sure it was not rained on in the bale before it was picked up.

If you are stacking your hay indoors when you buy it, put it on pallets. If it was just freshly baled, DO NOT put tarps over it for 1 month. Hay, even when baled correctly will 'go through a sweat'. The moisture will rise and the underside of the tarp will catch it with the top bales ruining. We used to put a layer of old straw bales on top and then tarp it down. 

Also, if you are stacking small squares, do not stack them real tightly and they will keep for years. The quality will always go down after a few months, but the hay will stay bright green with no mold for several years.


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

Sorry, I just read that you keep the hay in the barn "which is in no way sealed." So, does it get rained on? Dripped on? If so, you definitely need some kind of cover. If it doesn't get dripped on, then I would not put a tarp on it. You want as much air flow as possible, without moisture. If it is stored on the ground floor of the barn, then a pallet will help a lot. If it is the upper level, then you shouldn't need a pallet under it.

That all said, now I'm really wondering if the hay is stored wet. Although you state that you are "up north so very wet almost all the time." Well, I'm "up north" in Ontario and it's not a problem except when it rains at haying time. Just how wet is wet all the time? Where, roughly, "up north" are you?


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