All Hay
There are several visual cues that can help you determine the quality of hay, and knowing what to look for is key. To help you be better informed next time you purchase bales of hay, here’s how to visually figure out the quality of what you’re buying.
After you figure out where to buy hay bales, the next step in the process should be to visit that location and inspect the grass hay for sale before you make a purchase.
If you smell mildew, must or other rotten odors coming from the hay, this most likely means the hay was exposed to an undesirable climate. This greatly affects the quality of the hay because animals might not eat it.
Inspect the hay you want to purchase for insects, mold, disease, or other damage. You also want your hay to be dust free. Healthy hay should have a greenish texture and smell somewhat sweet.
There should be nothing in the bales of hay you’re buying except for the bale and hay. Weeds, metal pieces, sticks, wires, and nails are all unwelcomed and can lead to unhealthy have and cause injuries to animals that you feed the hay to.
As we already mentioned, healthy hay should be green. Too much sun exposure, excessive moisture or heat can cause the hay to yellow or turn dark brown or black, signaling hay you do not want.
The more leafy the hay the healthier it is. That’s because the leaves are where the nutrients reside. Weather conditions, the handling process, and the stage of maturity can all determine how leafy certain bales of hay are.
You’ll want to purchase bales of hay that are not an eye sore to look at, meaning they are neat and tight, as well as have the same color and texture throughout
