Why Good Storage Pays for Itself

Every smallholder and horse owner knows the sinking feeling of opening a bale or a feed bin and finding the contents spoiled. Whether it is hay that has heated and gone musty, a sack of compound feed clumped together by damp, or bedding riddled with rodent droppings, the result is the same: money wasted and, worse, a genuine risk to animal health.

Mouldy forage and feed are far more than an inconvenience. Dust and spores from spoiled hay irritate the airways and are a common trigger for coughs and respiratory problems in horses, while mouldy feed can carry mycotoxins that cause poor condition, digestive upsets and, in serious cases, liver damage. Rodents fouling a feed store bring their own hazards, including bacteria that can spread to stock and people alike. Good storage is not fussiness — it is basic biosecurity and sound husbandry.

Sort the Building Before the Supplies Arrive

It is tempting to fill the barn first and worry about the roof later, but a little preparation saves a great deal of heartache. Walk round your storage space with a critical eye before the first load arrives.

• Fix the envelope first. Mend slipped roof sheets, clear gutters and check that water is not running in under doors or along the base of walls.
• Get the air moving. Hay and straw need ventilation, so aim for high-level vents, open eaves and a ridge outlet. Draughts at floor level are less helpful, as they carry damp in.
• Lift everything off the ground. Concrete floors are ideal, but wooden pallets are a perfectly good alternative. Never stack bales or sacks directly on bare earth.
• Keep incompatible things apart. Fuel, oils, fertiliser, weedkillers and rodenticides should never share a bay with feed or bedding.
• Make it secure. A good lock and bolt protect your investment. So does a self-latching gate — a pony that slips into an open feed store is a laminitis case waiting to happen.

Compound Feed: Keep It Fresh, Dry and Out of Reach

Bagged feed is the most perishable item on most yards, particularly the oils, vitamins and amino acids that make it worth buying. Its shelf life shortens dramatically once it is warm, damp or exposed to air.

Buy in quantities you will realistically use within a few weeks, especially through the summer. Leave feed in its original paper sack where you can — paper breathes, whereas a sealed plastic tub can sweat and encourage mould. If you must decant, use a clean metal bin with a tight-fitting lid and label it clearly; never reuse an old chemical container.

Stack sacks on pallets, a little away from the walls, no more than a few high so the lower bags are not crushed and compacted. Date each bag as it arrives and always use the oldest first. Before feeding, check for clumping, a musty or sour smell, blue-green patches of mould, or the fine webbing left by grain mites. If a sack is spoiled, do not gamble on it — bin it well away from stock.

Hay and Straw: Airflow, Stacking and the Heat Question

Well-made hay is the foundation of winter feeding, and it is only as good as the way it is stored. Hay that goes into the barn above roughly 14 to 16 per cent moisture will sweat, heat and mould, and no amount of ventilation afterwards will undo the damage.

Fresh bales straight off the field will continue to warm for several weeks. Stack them with air gaps between bales and a clear space of at least ten to fifteen centimetres from any wall, rather than pressing them tight against it. Good airflow is what carries the moisture away.

Take the heat question seriously. A sweet, caramel-like smell, steam rising from the stack or a warm feeling when you push your hand between bales are all warning signs. Use a long probe thermometer pushed into the centre of the stack, and if readings creep much above 45 to 50°C, break the stack open and spread the bales to cool. Hay that hot can smoulder and, in the worst cases, catch fire of its own accord. Never simply shut the door and hope.

Straw is more forgiving than hay and dries quickly, but damp straw still goes musty within days. Keep it off the floor, keep the stack tidy and stable, and store it well away from hay you intend to feed to horses with sensitive airways.

Rats, Mice and Other Unwelcome Guests

Rodents will always find spilled grain before you do, so the first line of defence is a broom. Sweep up spilt feed daily and keep the yard around the store free of rubbish and long vegetation.

• Seal gaps in walls and doors with wire wool and mortar or metal sheeting, not expanding foam, which rodents chew straight through.
• Remember a mouse needs only a few millimetres of gap, and a rat not much more than the width of a large coin.
• Use metal bins with tight lids rather than plastic, which is easily gnawed.
• Set traps along walls where rodents naturally travel, and check them often.
• Never place rodenticide near feed or bedding. Use secure bait boxes outside the store and always follow the label directions.

Bird droppings and wasp nests are worth watching for in late summer too, particularly in open-sided barns.

A Simple Seasonal Routine

Storage rewards a little regular attention. In spring, empty the store, sweep it out and check the roof and gutters. In summer, watch bagged feed for mites and order hay early with a plan for where it will go. In autumn, test the moisture of your main hay delivery and take temperature readings for the first few weeks. In winter, when damp and mud are at their worst, check under stacks for leaks and keep a pest patrol going.

A five-minute walk-round each week — looking for droppings, gnaw marks, damp patches and that telltale musty smell — will tell you almost everything you need to know. Keep a simple note of delivery dates and any temperature checks, and next winter will be easier still. It is not the most glamorous job on the yard, but dry, clean, secure feed and bedding is one of the quietest ways to keep animals healthy and money in your pocket.