Moisture Matters
Moisture in bales creates a breeding ground for mold.
Blackwell Hay Farms tracks moisture content in the bales to ensure it is baled at under 12% moisture. After baling, moisture readings increase naturally by 2-3%. Horse hay should have a moisture reading of 10-15% at time of consumption. Below 10% is not ideal either. Hay probes are used to check stacks for moisture at multiple times in the harvesting process pre-storage and prior to selling.
For transport overseas, 3rd party analysis is often conducted on the hay to measure moisture and quality.
How we protect round bales
In colder climates like Canada, round bales with net-wrap are more easily stored outside as rain and snow can more naturally run off the curves of the bales. Blackwell uses woven plastic called net-wrap to protect round bales. The benefits of net-wrapping over twine are:
- Reduced harvest loss
- Reduced storage loss
- Reduced time needed to bale
Net-wrap offers a little more from moisture.