People at my yard are very concerned about the hay that we are being given to feed our horses. We are all on part or full livery, with hay and straw included in the price.
The hay that a contract farmer cut and stacked for the yard owners has been improperly covered with tarpaulin (and no space on top to breathe) and now there are black streaks running through the bales and most of the hay smells funny. The bales are all large rather than small.
The YO has told me that she has had the hay analysed, that it is grade 'B' and that the white clouds that emit from some parts of it are pollen, and not mould, according to the analysis.
I think the best course is to get a 'professional' of some sort to look at the stack and tell us whether any of the hay should be fed, or whether it should all be rejected. I don't really like having to sort through the hay to get passable hay anyway, I feel that it should be checked competently by the YOs before it is put out for us.
Does anyone have any experience in sorting this kind of problem out? Is a vet the best professional to involve here? Any tips on how I should approach this?
The hay that a contract farmer cut and stacked for the yard owners has been improperly covered with tarpaulin (and no space on top to breathe) and now there are black streaks running through the bales and most of the hay smells funny. The bales are all large rather than small.
The YO has told me that she has had the hay analysed, that it is grade 'B' and that the white clouds that emit from some parts of it are pollen, and not mould, according to the analysis.
I think the best course is to get a 'professional' of some sort to look at the stack and tell us whether any of the hay should be fed, or whether it should all be rejected. I don't really like having to sort through the hay to get passable hay anyway, I feel that it should be checked competently by the YOs before it is put out for us.
Does anyone have any experience in sorting this kind of problem out? Is a vet the best professional to involve here? Any tips on how I should approach this?