Mold

[amysflock]

The last two bales of hay I've pulled down off the top of the stack have what appears to be some gray mold in them. Not all the way through the bale, just in some spots about salad plate size.

What happens if a cow or calf eats moldy hay? I'm assuming illness, so I've been taking the affected flakes away and throwing them in the garden. The cows seem to be picking through (eating halfheartedly?), and maybe it's because it's cold...but they're not eating as vehemently as they normally do. Can I trust them (and the calves) to pick through and only eat the non-moldy stuff, or am I doing the right thing by picking through myself and taking away the moldy stuff?

 

[wynedot55]

your doing good culling the moldy flakes of hay.cows will pick through the hay only eating the good stuff.an what they are picking through could have some mold on them.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Your right to question mold. To much can cause abortions, lung problems, stomach problems, etc. Red mold is the worst.

I wouldn't throw it on the garden though. You could be inviting problems for your garden later.

 

[Thewife]

I will pick out mold if I find it, but most of the time I just end up forking it out of the feed bunk!(real fun)

I'm sure I have had cows that have eaten it, but haven't had any problems from it (yet).

 

[Farmer Kitty]

The white and grey molds are not so bad and take quite a bit to cause major problems-it affects milk cows faster with mastitis.

The red mold you can find in corn, corn silage, high moisture corn, grain that's gotten wet. That is the real nasty stuff and it only takes a little.