# Salt in Hay?



## hatefoxtails (Jun 12, 2012)

Our last cutting of hay got thoroughly soaked by rain and ruined. So we had to buy some hay

We bought some grass hay at a good price for our horses and had it delivered and stacked in the barn. We noticed white crystals coming from a bale and called the guy we bought it from. He said he uses the salt as a preservative, just plain salt, and that cattle and horses love it.

Has anyone heard of this?

The article on the Home page on Reduced Drying Time mentions dessicants and preservatives but doesn't mention salt.


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## Farmall706 (Sep 4, 2011)

Useing salt is between the stacks of square bales is an old pratice. Many believe the salt will asborb the moisture in the bales and prevent spoilage and fire. When we square baled we also used salt. There is nothing wrong with it. Cuts down on the salt blocks you put out for them.


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## hatefoxtails (Jun 12, 2012)

Thank you. Looks like we got some nice hay and will save on salt licks to boot!


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Ditto here, always used to salt the hay when making small squares, plain old white salt, if we ran out of that would use mineral salt on occasion as well.


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## shortrow (Feb 21, 2012)

I have done this in the past. Works good.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

I've never had hay get totally ruined and useless. When it hets rained on and I can't save it, it gets raked off the field and roasted. The smoke keeps the bugs away.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I've worked for lots of old timers that salted their questionable hay. They'd toss 50 lbs or so into 25 tons of hay. It help them sleep at night and it helps the animals like less than perfect hay. Its doesn't stop caramelization, mold or barn fires from wet hay so be careful.


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