Is it best to soak hay ?????????????????????????

[JBAKER]

hi is it best to soak hay ??? if so how long for is the best ????? is it better for laminetics if you soak ????????? do you let it dry before you give them it soaked or do you give it to them wet ??????? ive always gave mine it dry,
thankyou :confused: :confused: :confused:

[becs]

I think it's best to soak up to half an hour or too many vits etc lost.

But for laminitics maybe soaking for longer is better? Not sure on that.

If you're soaking to reduce inhaled spores, then give it wet - if it dried again, any dust / spores will be airborne again.

[Big Ears]

if you soak it too long all the nutrients leach out of it, an alternative is to steam it in a dustbin - I feed the donkeys dry hay as they aren't wheezy, Rosie and Molly's hay is soaked but I try to buy the best hay I can get, there is some that no matter how much you soaked it, it is just rubbish hay.

I found haylage was cleaner and less dusty. You really need to look at the quality of the hay as in on batch you can get the odd less good bale.

[freespirit]

i steam mine
just place it in a dustbin and pour a kettle of boiling water into it and leave it for about 20 minutes
-reduces spores and has the advantage of not getting you soaking while you carry it!