How to Test the HAY for you Horse

Good HAY provide necessary fiber and protein for your Horse . Testing for quality hay requires several procedures that take little time and effort. These on the spot tests help in determining what's good or bad hay before it's fed to your horse.

1 Look for hay containing a green to light gold coloring. Yellow or brown hay mixed in might not have all of the nutrients, but it still safe.

2 Check for more leaf matter than stalks and mature seed heads. Protein comes from leafs while fiber is in the stalks.

Kaytee Products Inc - Timothy Hay 96 Ounce - 100032116 (Google Affiliate Ad)

3 Pick up a bale higher than your waist then drop it. Good hay bounces when it hits the ground. There should not be more than a little bit of dust when it hits the ground.

4 Test the hay's odor by smelling it up close. Obtain best results by digging into the hay, toward the middle of the bale. Sniff out a sweet odor for good hay while passing up any that smells moldy or musty.

5 Watch and smell for dust or mold when moving it around. Dust looks like little particles that float through the air while mold looks more like smoke wafting through the air.

6 Rub and squeeze the hay for sturdiness. Bad hay crumbles easily. Good hay remains flexible.

7 Get an analysis of the hay by taking samples to a certified lab. Contact your local farming authority or association for procedures.

Central Avian & Kaytee Timothy Hay 48 Ounces - 100032114 (Google Affiliate Ad)