# How long can hay be stored?



## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Just have been wondering how long hay can be stored. I have heard it'll keep forever if put up dry and kept dry but wouldn't it affect the nutritional value of the hay?

Still have hay from 2012 and 2011 in the barn really don't want to have to feed or take it out if i don't need to. To me its like money in the bank and kinda a security for years when feed is short


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

We still have a hand full of the last small square hay bales that we baled, before going to big squares. That was in 1999. Would be interesting to send a sample of that up for a feed test.


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## Waterway64 (Dec 2, 2011)

Vitamins will break down but everything else is fairly stable. Mel


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## bensbales (Jul 18, 2011)

We had to rebuild/replace the heifer barn last year so we made it a point to sell and feed every last bale of hay that was in the loft. We found some "ancient hay" they were 16x18 bales. The baler that made those bales hasn't been on the farm for 20 yrs! That hay was early cut grass and other than being really dry the heifers cleaned it up just fine. So if you have some really nice hay keep it just put a note in it so your grandkids will know when you made it


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## ETXhayman (Jul 19, 2012)

A professor at the local community college told me that after 3-4 years it will begin to lose some of the nutritive value. As far as how much it loses and if the rate of lose stays consistent or varies as it ages I don't know.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

I think I'd feed that older hay and leave some newer hay as your "bank". Better to keep a rolling account than let one pile of it get really old. Even if your feed value isn't going down very fast, you could end up with damaged bales from mice or a roof leak.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Becareful holding on to long to hay if any of it developed seed heads. Rodents will be into that.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

A number of years ago, there was a "State Wide" Texas Forage Association conference and Hay Show.
A demonstration bale of hay was on display that had been in the barn for 18 years. A nice dark barn and dry.
IF the hay had been entered in the contest it would have received a Blue Ribbon.

The hay was a little dark but the feed analysis was right up there with the current compition hay.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Well here is my situation, we put round bales in the quanoset section but we can't drive the skid loader on it so they are brought in from the bank barn section with the skid loader and rolled from there by hand then tipped on end. Fill the first layer then stack another on top of it the same way. The fill it the to the mow conveyor with small squares. Usually feed the squares first then start the top layer of rounds. Start at the chutes at about the middle of the mow. Always feed the front bales of the layers first so it can be refilled if it all isn't used. So its difficult to feed the older stuff and keep the supply rotated. Not a problem in the bank barn section though That is usually for heifers or fed last. Thanks for the useful comments. Much appreciated


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

If I understand what you are doing, would it work to divide the part that you would save in half length-wise? In other words, work say the left half (the same way you are doing, only going half wide across the building) to the back, then the right side. If you don't use it all this year the left-over would be on the right- start feeding the right side next season.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

urednecku said:


> If I understand what you are doing, would it work to divide the part that you would save in half length-wise? In other words, work say the left half (the same way you are doing, only going half wide across the building) to the back, then the right side. If you don't use it all this year the left-over would be on the right- start feeding the right side next season.


The bottom/first layer is six bales wide except for the two rows between the hay chutes those are 5 bales wide to allow room around the bales to start feeding the layer. It might not work with that layer three bales wide doesn't leave much room too work when refilling and the top/second layer we get 5 bales wide as the width is shortened by the dome roof and if i took half of that like three of the 5 bales so that would be hard. Didn't even use all of the second layer last year


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

We have a neighbor who bought his place in 1960 with several hundred squares of alfalfa clover hay in his haymow. It remained until a remodeling project in his barn in 2008. He had it tested and the tests came out very good. Nearly as good as similar looking new hay. He fed it up and the cows were happy. That hay was at least 49 years old.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Our milk hauler said he worked on a dairy farm in high school during the mid to late seventies and was feeding hay and got down to some huge bales that were made by a baler that was last used in the fifties. He figured atleast 20+ years they had been in there. He said the cows ate it right up but he caught h*ll for feeding it


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Nice photo bucket Griffin...green in the pics really looks green at this time of year  .

Regards, Mike


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Vol said:


> Nice photo bucket Griffin...green in the pics really looks green at this time of year  .
> 
> Regards, Mike


Thanks, always find myself looking at them in amazement of how quick things change from season to season


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Nice pics how do you like the dairy business? Im tossing around ideas and milking cows in ny was one of them. Is it worth it? As far as the hay goes it should be ok to feed a few year old hay.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

ontario hay man said:


> Nice pics how do you like the dairy business? Im tossing around ideas and milking cows in ny was one of them. Is it worth it? As far as the hay goes it should be ok to feed a few year old hay.


I like it you can make money at it if you know what your doing. Twice a month milk checks are nice. Keep debt low and don't overspend. Keep the bills paid. Starting from scratch its almost impossible these days. But if you can get into an operation that's already established and bigger isn't always better either. Depends on what you want to do also


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

How much do you guys get for milk on average. I know of a guy that milked cows on eastern Ontario. He sold his farm and quota for an average of $46000 per cow and was set up and milking farm and all for $6900 per cow. He says it the way to go. I have experience and family that formerly milked for advice. Im not big on fancy equipment. I think thats where most dairies have the problem. I see you have older equipment but thats what you need not 200k tractors with all the bells and whistles.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

That doesn't sound too bad per cow actually. Past few years it has been around 17-22 or so a hundred weight add more depending on your components. I like to have a few jerseys around to keep fat and protein up. I like my old simple equipment we also do all our own matinence and repairs. Buy it in good condition maintain it and use it till its no longer useful. Never owned a pickup that cost more than $2500 yes twenty five hundred dollars either.

Personally i think dairy is the way to go. You can grow and sell crops or grow crops and feed the cows and get value from milk sold the value of the cows plus the calf she has also the value of the manure as fertilizer. Plus you can feed not so good feed to them and still make money also can utilize ground not suited to row crops and can graze crops. Plus everyday your always gaining and growing your operation and equity if managed properly.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Might be tough starting out up north with buying the quota on top of everything else.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Bgriffin856 said:


> Might be tough starting out up north with buying the quota on top of everything else.


Ya no shot here unless I win the lottery lol. I would probably just jump the border like the guy I know did. His farm is 5 miles from his old farm. Thats a decent price for milk I was told alot less but that wasnt true obviously.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Well depends on location and grade of milk also. Trucking is taken right out of the check before we get it. For example since we are farthest from the plants we get charged the same flat rate just for them to stop plus the highest rate per hundred for hauling. Plus some but not much is taken out for promotion and advertising.

New York seems like a good dairy state if you can afford the taxes.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

I might have to wander down to see you and a few others for advice about setting up down there. Even if I dont start milking I love seeing others setups.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

I also like checking out other operations and keep an open mind to learning everything i can to improve my operation. One reason i like going to auctions lol sometimes makes me feel fortunate for what i have


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