Every Bale Counts
The wet weather conditions in Maine this summer have damaged crops for gardeners and farmers alike. But no crop has been more severely harmed than hay. When there are 90 horses to be fed each day, every bale of hay helps to keep one of our formerly abused or neglected animals contentedly chewing. The MSSPA builds its budget like other nonprofit public charities, trying to realistically calculate increases in essentials like veterinary medical costs, farrier expenses, barn repairs and maintenance in advance of having to actually pay those bills. One of the largest items in our budget is the staple of nearly all equine diets, high quality hay. The Society often feeds more than 30,000 bales of hay in a single year. While some of the hay used is made on the Society’s own property, approximately two thirds of the hay the animals eat each year is purchased.
What goes into making the high quality horse hay used in the rehabilitation and care of the dozens of rescued large animals living in the Society’s barns? With increased urban sprawl and residential development, fewer and fewer people know the craft of hay-making. The significant amount of land on which the hay is cultivated, the cost and maintenance of the farm machinery required to make and handle the hay, and the costs of storage and delivery all factor into the per bale cost of hay. The making of quality hay is part science and part art. In order to make or purchase the right type, quality, and quantity of hay for the horses the Society is feeding, there are many considerations. First, the quality and type of grass being grown and processed must be addressed. Whether the fields from which the hay is being harvested have been properly maintained and fertilized on schedule is important, too. Perhaps the most critical difference between quality hay and poor hay is the conditions at the time of harvest. If hay isn’t baled at the right stage of dryness, mold or dust may develop in the bales. Feeding moldy hay can make horses ill or even cause their death. So, hay must be dry enough to avoid becoming dusty or moldy, but contain enough moisture to maintain essential nutrients. Finally, the mowing, drying, tedding, raking, baling, and storage process takes two to three days of hot, dry conditions to get the baled hay under cover. This summer’s record-breaking rainfall and relentless wet ground conditions have made it nearly impossible to make hay.
Basic economics dictates that supply and demand will define the cost of any commodity, hay included. With hay in short supply and dozens of horses in the Society’s barns, we are scrambling, for the second year in a row, to keep the hay budget balanced. Last winter’s “Buy a Bale” hay campaign was successful because so many members and supporters of the MSSPA were able to donate money to help feed one horse for one day. Every $5.00 donation really counts! The horses need that help again and we are asking everyone who loves animals to buy as much as hay as you can. Whether you can send our horses $5.00 or $500.00 or $5,000.00, all the money donated to “Buy a Bale”, goes directly into the feed program of the Society.
On behalf of the horses awaiting their hay each day, the staff, members, and supporters of the MSSPA thank you.