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Conference noted::equitation

Title:Equine Notes Conference
Notice:Topics List=4, Horses 4Sale/Wanted=150, Equip 4Sale/Wanted=151
Moderator:MTADMS::COBURNIO
Created:Tue Feb 11 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2080
Total number of notes:22383

853.0. "Keeping hay dust-free?" by WEDOIT::NANCY () Tue Feb 14 1989 20:30

    
    
    The hay I had delivered about 7 months ago is getting really
    dusty up in our loft. I really don't like it and it is making
    my horses cough. The dust settles on top of the hay as the 
    bottom layers are cleaner and much more dust free. 
    
    	How do you keep the Hay stored in your loft clean?
    
    I am tempted to cover my hay to keep the dust off, but am afraid
    it would not be very safe. Is there anything safe that I could 
    cover it with? (My husband thinks maybe canvas? where would I
    get big enough pieces?) I ordered my hay when the cost was low
    for the entire year. Is it impractical for me to expect it to
    be fairly clean after 7 months? 
    
    Seems to me that the hay the year before lasted longer and I did
    not have this problem...but I started out with a new clean barn.
    We cleaned the barn as best we could this year before filling it
    with hay. Could the hay itself be a problem? Should I order hay
    twice a year instead to try and avoid this problem and how would 
    I control the cost? 
    
    I really would like to know... how do you keep it clean?
                                  
    			Thanks, Nancy
    
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853.1Try a plastic tarp!TEACH::SHERRYSherry Butler - DTN 339-5172 - MDTue Feb 14 1989 20:458
    I have a very dusty barn at times.  I keep a large piece (or several
    pieces) of plastic over the hay.  This seems to work very well since
    it's only over the top and the rest of the hay can still get air.
    
    Hope this helps!
    
    Sherry
    
853.2storage shedSALEM::DOUGLASWed Feb 15 1989 15:5012
    If you have a storage shed away from the barn, I'd keep the hay
    there. I have a nice shed about 30 ft away from the barn which 
    I store a years' worth of hay in. When I stored it in the barn I 
    found that the horses walking through the dirt isles stirred up alot
    of dust.
    
    I'm not sure about this but I think if you cover hay with material
    that is not porous (i.e. plastic tarp) then the hay can't breath
    and builds up alot of warmth which leads to moldy bales. (???)
    
    Tina
    
853.3No moldy hay so farTEACH::SHERRYSherry Butler - DTN 339-5172 - MDWed Feb 15 1989 20:3018
Re: <.1>
>   I'm not sure about this but I think if you cover hay with material
>   that is not porous (i.e. plastic tarp) then the hay can't breath
>   and builds up alot of warmth which leads to moldy bales. (???)
    
    I've used a plastic tarp in two different barns and MANY different
    loads and types of hay, and haven't had a problem with any of it
    getting moldy.  
    
    I suppose if you COMPLETELY covered it - top and sides - so it couldn't
    get ANY air, then it would be a problem.
    
    Depending on how much hay I get, the plastic usually just covers
    the top, or sometimes drapes down the sides a little bit.
    (It drapes down more and more as the hay gets used up :^)  )
    
    Sherry

853.4oh, I see now!SALEM::DOUGLASThu Feb 16 1989 11:288
    Oh,
    
    I get the picture of it now. That must keep the hay really clean.
    I wish I could figure something out for my saddles and bridles.
    They get so dusty even in the tack room!
    
    T.
    
853.5Dustproof not moistureproofPTOMV7::PETHMy kids are horsesThu Feb 16 1989 19:1910
    I am just guessing that you are keeping the hay and saddles on the
    same level. I have not had any problems with dust in my hayloft
    but anything on ground floor gets very dusty. I keep my saddles
    covered with an old bedsheet when not in use. Maybe putting old
    sheets over and around the hay would keep the dust out. I, like you
    get my hay all at once to save money and make sure I can get good
    quality. Around here as it gets colder the hay found for sale is
    much poorer for more money.
    Sandy
    
853.6Condensation and fire?WEDOIT::NANCYMon Feb 20 1989 12:416
    
    Doesn't anyone worry about condensation? Can't it cause spontaneous
    combustion? 
    			Nancy
    
853.7Condensation not a problem with meTEACH::SHERRYSherry Butler - DTN 339-5172 - MDFri Feb 24 1989 00:405
    I've never had a problem with condensation.  Both of the barns I
    had with my hay in the loft and covered with plastic, had plenty
    of air circulation.  I think that's the big key for no condensation!
    
    Sherry
853.8Dust inside is a Quality issueCSMADM::NICKERSONBob Nickerson DTN 282-1663 :^)Mon Feb 27 1989 15:5526
    You can get dust from the air and outside of bales and from inside
    the bale depending on when and how it was cured.  We don't cover
    the hay because of fire precautions and because anything that lands
    on it is easy to get off for the horses.  You can use the bounce
    method for this.  Just throw a bale that is still tied down a few
    feet and let it bounce.  Any dust on the outside of the bale will
    be shaken off.  If you open the bale and find dust, it was there
    all along.  A dusty bale is usually a bale which has been cured
    improperly or comes from a very dusty field.  Curing is that period
    of time that the hays lays in the field between mowing and raking.
    Balers that are properly set up will draw a bale tight enough to
    prevent air from freely passing through therefore there is no danger
    of condensation or dust for that matter.  In fact it is so tightly
    drawn that there is a reduced danger of fire unless someone cuts
    it open.  Unfortunately, this is usually the case when someone sees
    a stack of hay smoking.  Instead of calling the fire department
    for help, some folks begin by trying to take the hay out of the
    barn.  The resultant formula is (Flash Point Temperature from
    Spontaneous Combustion) + (Oxygen) = Unstoppable Barn Fire.
    
    Enough rambling... Dusty hay from inside the bale is a quality problem
    from the manufacturer.  The only solution is to buy a better quality
    hay.
    
    Bob