# Different Dusty Hay Question...



## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

I've got about 25 or 30 square bales of hay in a shelter, open on the ends. When this hay was baled, it was very dry, it was almost straw - could have gone up a day earlier. Bale chamber moisture meter read 11-12% all day. These are very tight bales, but light - again from being so dry. Nothing marginal about the hay or field when baled that would point to dust. This batch, I can't remember if I used impellers or rollers (which machine), but the hay was conditioned. First cut Timothy.

That was June, fast forward to today and a few bales show a bit of fine white dust if you slap one. Cut it open, nothing. Shake the hay - nothing. Slap the side down against other bales, nothing. Slap the free air side of the bale, a little dust.

While this hay was dry, I don't think this is mechanical dust from baling, I think it's mold dust.

I'm thinking with all the rain, high humidity we've had, along with cool nights and heavy dews, these bales have attracted humidity from the heavy moisture laden air and made a little surface dust.

Anyone experienced surface mold dust on their bales, but all else was fine?

Thanks!
Bill


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

You could be right I have seen that already.. and we don't take any chances if it's real good hay we put 2 lb per ton of crop saver on dry hay


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Yes, happens all the time in our climate.


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## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

I had this surface mold several years ago on Coastal Bermuda. I told my customers about it and they understood the issues we were all having that year. Some of my customers also had the same thing happen in their barns.


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

What a coincidence. I came across the exact same thing today on all the bales stacked in our bank barn. I halfway panicked and started to second guess myself cause I swore everything in there should have been made about right. We put anything questionable in a different barn. Then I checked some that was put in there last summer...did the exact same thing when you slapped it. Same thing for loose scraps laying on top of wagons parked in same barn. I didn’t bust any bales but did pull some scraps out and also flipped over a few. Seemed ok then. I’ve never noticed this happening before and just chalked it up to all the wet weather lately. I hope.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

leeave96 said:


> Anyone experienced surface mold dust on their bales, but all else was fine?


Yep, once in a while, seem to be more with the grasser hay. One off the reasons my new shed is enclose with exhaust fans on timers. I don't run them at night for certain, probably should watch running them during the day on the high humidity days too. The jury's still out on that one, if you know what I mean (day job gets in the way of something's it seems).

Larry


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

This is a very timely thread, because I just delivered a load to a customer a few nights ago, and she showed me the first cutting bales I had brought to her. This hay was extremely dry when I baled it Memorial Day weekend but she said her daughter said it was a bit dusty so wanted me to look at it. I didn't see dust, but the hay did smell a little moldy, not that good fresh hay smell. Their barn always has open windows and no air circulation so I wonder if it could be from that.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

double post


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

It is the worst I've seen it this year.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Definitely happening this year with the constantly high humidity. It’s worse the better the hay, .the more likely it will rehydrate. Horses in my barn are eating it clean with no issues. Four of my customers have bought otherwise perfect hay with some surface mildew with full disclosure of the issue. They took it gladly because they all know there is a shortage of perfect hay this year.


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## KYhaymaker (Jun 7, 2018)

I know in KY there is going to be a lot of dusty hay this year, rained on hay, etc etc.


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