Extension Column

Something to keep in mind as we go into another hay storage season is keeping an eye on the temperature of your hay stack. With a particularly wet 2023 hay season it is possible that hay didn’t get baled at optimal moisture to prevent microbial activity and respiration leading to the warming of bales and potentially a hay fire.

Hay that is baled above 20 percent moisture without using a preservative is generally at greater risk for fire and the critical moisture content for large bales is even lower. As hay is cut, dried, and baled it continues to respire — meaning the forage is still releasin...