I was thinking of checking with you if we can put our heads together and come up with a design for a shed aimed at storing hay bales.
Of course, the highest priority must be low humidity.
Could underfloor heating in a cast slab be an option? Dehumidifier? Some kind of fan solution that has always been used in barns?
The background is that I'm a bit tired of sorting out moldy hay now that winters are as humid as the rest of the year.
The availability of baled dry hay is getting worse, so it's extra important to make use of what you can get.
Let the ideas flow now, and maybe some of you have already solved this in a cost-effective way?
Season's greetings!
Of course, the highest priority must be low humidity.
Could underfloor heating in a cast slab be an option? Dehumidifier? Some kind of fan solution that has always been used in barns?
The background is that I'm a bit tired of sorting out moldy hay now that winters are as humid as the rest of the year.
The availability of baled dry hay is getting worse, so it's extra important to make use of what you can get.
Let the ideas flow now, and maybe some of you have already solved this in a cost-effective way?
Season's greetings!
Raised inner floor with gaps and fan is a classic solution in haylofts, should be possible to achieve even in a shed. Are the bales dry when they are put in or do they need to be dried further? Have you accounted for filling the space to the max? 15m2 isn't that many bales... It might be difficult to ventilate tightly packed.
Is it really a big problem with moldy hay? (Is it just you who have problems or do farmers with old hay barns have that problem too.)
If it is a real problem, I would make a grid floor about a decimeter above the existing floor and suck/blow air through the hay.
If it is a real problem, I would make a grid floor about a decimeter above the existing floor and suck/blow air through the hay.
Incredible, you learn something every day! This became the first piece of knowledge of the year! I grew up on a farm, but I wasn't aware at all that there was something called hösilage! I talked to my dad, and he said that technically we sometimes use it when the silage has been stored for a bit too long, but I've never heard any other name than silage.Fjelie 17 said:
//Patrik
The problem with moldy hay arises occasionally, one factor is obviously too little space.
Another problem is that farmers don't dare let it lie as long as they used to when they've cut it, the summers aren't as reliable anymore. So you might get slightly more humid bales sometimes.
Silage or haylage is a bit too strong for ponies, so we avoid it until the day when there's no access to fully dried hay.
But a construction with plastic, gravel, and a concrete base with gaps in the floor might be an option. 15 square meters is not much, but I could probably build more where I live or larger. (Not so densely populated if you put it that way)
If I'm going to have a dehumidifier, I guess I'll have to build it completely tight, and then it has to run all the time; otherwise, it would be damp as heck, right?
Another problem is that farmers don't dare let it lie as long as they used to when they've cut it, the summers aren't as reliable anymore. So you might get slightly more humid bales sometimes.
Silage or haylage is a bit too strong for ponies, so we avoid it until the day when there's no access to fully dried hay.
But a construction with plastic, gravel, and a concrete base with gaps in the floor might be an option. 15 square meters is not much, but I could probably build more where I live or larger. (Not so densely populated if you put it that way)
If I'm going to have a dehumidifier, I guess I'll have to build it completely tight, and then it has to run all the time; otherwise, it would be damp as heck, right?
would rather invest in a good fan than a dehumidifier. especially if you're building with spring floors.
think of older barns with the hay up in the loft.
heat from the animals in the winter and the barns weren't particularly tight.
think of older barns with the hay up in the loft.
heat from the animals in the winter and the barns weren't particularly tight.
The hay always becomes moldy on the surface that is exposed to air. The classic way to avoid this is to lay a layer of straw on top. A tarp can work too, but then the hay must be really dry, and there must be no air between the tarp and the hay.
Simply ventilating with more humid winter air doesn't help. Old barns/sheds have always been well-ventilated.
Really dry haylage usually works even for smaller horses. Otherwise, it's fine to supplement with good straw for Shetlands. There is also timothy straw, i.e., whole stalks including ears. Also a supplement. Can be used for laminitis horses.
If you can get hold of really dry hay, then a shed in the form of a container should work. With double walls so that inner walls, floor, and ceiling don't become damp from the outside. The shed is packed completely full, i.e., no air. It should be able to work since there are wrapped hay bales. Uncommon because they are expensive, but they exist, and then I assume it also works without molding or rotting. Air does reach everything as you start picking, but if you pick so that the smallest possible surface is exposed to air, it likely won't form any mold before you have fed them.
Simply ventilating with more humid winter air doesn't help. Old barns/sheds have always been well-ventilated.
Really dry haylage usually works even for smaller horses. Otherwise, it's fine to supplement with good straw for Shetlands. There is also timothy straw, i.e., whole stalks including ears. Also a supplement. Can be used for laminitis horses.
If you can get hold of really dry hay, then a shed in the form of a container should work. With double walls so that inner walls, floor, and ceiling don't become damp from the outside. The shed is packed completely full, i.e., no air. It should be able to work since there are wrapped hay bales. Uncommon because they are expensive, but they exist, and then I assume it also works without molding or rotting. Air does reach everything as you start picking, but if you pick so that the smallest possible surface is exposed to air, it likely won't form any mold before you have fed them.
You say it yourself: The heat from the animals helped keep the hay dry.SBH said:
It is unlikely to get that warm in a shed.
But doesn't blowing in outdoor air with 90 - 100% RH risk mold in the hay?
Not to mention how much mice and other critters might get in.
It could possibly become a veritable animal zoo.
By the way, isn’t silage "stronger" than hay?
Maybe a bit more chewable, since it has undergone a fermentation process.
And ensiling is a way to preserve (through lactic acid fermentation) to prevent mold.
Supplement it with straw, so they have something to occupy themselves with.
Wheat straw (unthreshed) is recommended, the horses here love it
Addition: Oldboy was a little ahead with roughly the same info
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We supplement the hay with straw, we have large New Forest ponies. I'm not an expert on the food, but my partner is quite strict about it and says if she doesn't say haylage, that's how it will be .
How do farmers build a hay storage if they're building new today?
.How do farmers build a hay storage if they're building new today?
It's probably more and more silage/haylage.strevert said:
Look around when you're out driving, "Tractor-Eier" everywhere.
I wonder if new hay barns are really being built anymore.
In Skåne, it is difficult to obtain hay. Currently, it also seems to be difficult to get hold of haylage as the summer was really dry, making the second harvest small. But there is a big difference between haylage and silage. Haylage is essentially semi-dried hay that is pressed and wrapped. Silage is significantly wetter hay that is pressed and wrapped. Silage is also usually more chopped up.
Haylage is given to horses, and silage to cows. Giving silage to horses is probably not entirely good. It's too rich and insufficient to adequately stimulate the horses' chewing needs.
Haylage is given to horses, and silage to cows. Giving silage to horses is probably not entirely good. It's too rich and insufficient to adequately stimulate the horses' chewing needs.
I checked with my partner and she says that haylage works fine, but it spoils before we can use an opened wrapped bale.
Back to the drawing board.
So one option is to build a foundation with gaps in the floor and not have it too tight between the hay and the outer walls. Possibly cover the outer layer with straw. I'm not entirely sure if using a fan will make it better or worse.
Another option is to build tightly and use a dehumidifier, which also provides heat as a positive side effect. It costs some electricity and results in a more expensive construction.
Back to the drawing board.
So one option is to build a foundation with gaps in the floor and not have it too tight between the hay and the outer walls. Possibly cover the outer layer with straw. I'm not entirely sure if using a fan will make it better or worse.
Another option is to build tightly and use a dehumidifier, which also provides heat as a positive side effect. It costs some electricity and results in a more expensive construction.
