Best temp to store hay?

[Robin_]

Hello!

Just wondering where’s the best temperature to store hay at. I know keeping it in a dim/dark, ventilated environment is good, but does it matter how hot/cold the room is?

 

[Siikibam]

I guess it would be more likely to go mouldy if kept in warm weather and not ventilated. Cool is probably ok.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Cool and dark is best

 

[GPTV]

Generally cool & dark is good, but it doesn't matter too much about the temperature as long as its generally constant, fluctuations in temperature can cause condensation & sweating especially if it's kept in a plastic wrapping.
Make sure it's not kept somewhere damp too, this can also cause mould to grow the same as sweating.

Hay kept in a paper bag, cardboard box or even an old duvet cover usually keeps better/fresher as it can 'breathe' (&more tidy).

Don't keep it in direct sunlight either as this will cause it to dry out & go brown, more spikey, 'straw like' instead of lovely sweet, soft, green hay- (also causing temperature fluctuations, especially on bright days/cool nights).

If you think about bales of hay on a farm, they're usually stacked together in a barn with gaps for airiation in the sides & a sturdy roof to keep it dry

X

 

[Robin_]

Thanks! Generally looking into keeping hay in a dark back room in my basement that’s usually pretty cool so that’ll work perfectly hopefully aeration should be ok?

 

[DMS260820]

Generally cool & dark is good, but it doesn't matter too much about the temperature as long as its generally constant, fluctuations in temperature can cause condensation & sweating especially if it's kept in a plastic wrapping.
Make sure it's not kept somewhere damp too, this can also cause mould to grow the same as sweating.

Hay kept in a paper bag, cardboard box or even an old duvet cover usually keeps better/fresher as it can 'breathe' (&more tidy).

Don't keep it in direct sunlight either as this will cause it to dry out & go brown, more spikey, 'straw like' instead of lovely sweet, soft, green hay- (also causing temperature fluctuations, especially on bright days/cool nights).

If you think about bales of hay on a farm, they're usually stacked together in a barn with gaps for airiation in the sides & a sturdy roof to keep it dry

X

The gaps stop it from catching fire too, which happened at my mums aunty and uncles farm, warm and moist and boom. Up it goes, wouldn't happen at home though lol