The Real Cost of Dusty Hay (and Why We Avoid It at All Costs)

A bale might look fine on the outside, but if it’s dusty, it’s worthless, and worse, it can be dangerous. We’ve learned the hard way that cutting corners on drying or storage isn’t worth it. Dusty hay doesn’t just hurt your bottom line; it hurts animals.

Why Hay Gets Dusty

Dust comes from poor drying, mold, or dirt. Around here, that usually means:

• Cutting when the weather window was too short.

• Leaving hay sitting in a swath after rain.

• Not spreading wide enough on the first day to let the pores breathe.

• Stacking before the moisture’s gone.

You might save a few hours in the short run, but you’ll pay for it later, either in lost sales or sick animals.

Why Horses Can’t Tolerate It

Cattle can get away with a lot more, they eat fast, chew once, and carry on. Horses? Not so forgiving. Respiratory issues show up quick in high-performance equine, seniors, or anything with a sensitive system. A bad batch of dusty hay can mean vet bills, downtime, and long-term damage. That’s not a risk we’re willing to pass down the line.

How We Prevent It

We build our whole system around keeping hay clean and dust-free:

• Cut wide, ted fast: Getting hay spread out immediately after cutting helps it dry evenly.

• Bale only when it’s ready: We’d rather lose a day than trap moisture in a bale.

• Store it right: Rubber belting on barn floors, chicken wire to keep the birds out, constant checks on tarps.

It’s not glamorous, but it works. And it means our customers never have to wonder what’s hiding inside a bale.

The Bottom Line

Cheap hay is never cheap if it puts your animals at risk. Dust-free, clean bales are non-negotiable at Toews & Bale. We’d rather torch a stack than sell something that hurts a horse.