23/07/2025
🌾 There's a few things to consider if you're feeding round bales to horses.
As many horse owners start the process of planning out their fall and winter hay supply, many may be considering purchasing round bales for their equine companions due to cost-effectiveness and greater convenience for feeding pastured animals. However, it's important to remember that there are a few things to consider when choosing between square or round bales.
• Are you equipped/prepared to store your hay correctly?
Improperly stored round bales can lose much of their nutritional value and are also more susceptible to mold, dust, and bacteria growth, which can cause respiratory issues and even colic.
• Are your horses protected from botulism?
Round bales provide an optimum environment for the development of the botulism toxin. This toxin is produced when "Clostridium botulinum" is exposed to the right environmental conditions — such as when forage materials are baled and stored while still damp, or when they include the carcasses of dead animals, like birds and mice.
Prevention of this disease through vaccination is critical, especially in areas where the condition is prevalent (such as Kentucky, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, California, and Tennessee).
• Are round bales a good choice for your horse?
Horses prone to respiratory conditions usually have increased problems with round bales due to their higher dust content.
• Do you have a feeder to place your round bales in?
Round bales not placed in a feeder can create more waste, which means your horses may not be meeting their nutritional requirements.
• Can you secure high-quality round bales?
Not all hay is created equal. Be sure to choose high-quality hay to meet your horse's nutritional needs and minimize the risk of impaction colic, which increases with lower-quality, less digestible forage.
As always, your equine veterinarian remains your best source of information and advice—consult your horse doctor on best practices when feeding hay this fall and winter!
For more information on botulism, visit our website at: https://aaep.org/resource/botulism/
