Storing Your Feed in Hot Weather
- Store feed in a cool, dry, ventilated place, protected from sunlight.
- The trunk or the inside of your vehicle is NOT the place to store your feed - we all know how hot it gets inside a car/truck in this heat.
- Try not to purchase more feed than you can use up in a week to 10 days.
- In general, textured sweet feeds containing molasses spoil. Palleted feeds can mold and high fat feeds can develop a rancid odor more rapidly in heat.
- Ensure air circulates around the bags to avoid a buildup of internal heat.
- Never set bags directly on the floor, especially concrete, (ideally, pallets help with this and we give them away - ask us).
- If possible, set the bags on end, slightly apart to allow air circulation.
- Bags should not be stacked more than 4 high and leave space between the stacks.
- "Jounce," (jerk/shake) the bags to release heat in the bags and avoid clumping of the feed.
- Remove shrink wrap, tarp, or any protective covering you have on your feed.
- Do NOT store feed in plastic bins/containers as it limits air movement.
- Galvanized steel bins/containers tend to sweat on the inside if they contain higher moisture feed.
- If containers are used, be sure to clean the bin of all old feed and ensure it is thoroughly dry prior to adding new feed.
- Horses have a very sensitive sense of smell. If your horse will not eat it, get rid of it.
- It's always a good idea to check your feed before offering it, to ensure the health of your animal(s) by avoiding feeding spoiled feed, etc.
