Did search on above subject but didn't find info I'm looking for.  I want to pre-soak hay night before morning feeding in way that it still smells good in warm humid weather.  Only soak 3 lbs at a time but still smells off if hung outside in hay net or spread out on black top drive overnight.  Wondering if I soak hay in cooler, drain it and then keep lid shut will hay stay fresh?   Hay would be in cooler for 8-10 hours before being fed.  I could also bring a wheeled cooler inside air conditioned house which is very close to barn if that would help. 
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Karen B.
Wisconsin
2022
Apollo Case History: https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Karen%20and%20Apollo
Photo album:  https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=275817

Would like to add my experience soaking hay for extended periods in a cooler and suggest perhaps not draining until feed time.

I have used a marine cooler on wheels to soak hay in cold well water overnight and during the day in all kind of weather without issue. Here is an example. Lots of different price options out there  https://www.cabelas.com/product/Coleman-Wheeled-Xtreme-Marine-Pro-Coolers/1969869.uts?slotId=7

My marine cooler on wheels is 100 quart and takes ~ 10 pounds of hay at a time, all day or over night, in very hot (100 F) and very cold weather (-20 F).  Hay completely submerged. No mold or fermenting. No freezing. At feeding time, the next meal was put in to soak, then drained just before fed. The cooler keeps things under control. No souring issues while being fed. No problem with palatability or refusal to eat wet.

Pre- and post-soak testing showed a better than 50% reduction in ESC. Iron was not raised. (SIDE BAR: when feeding soaked hay long-term, testing the soaked hay is recommended before balancing.)

More here: https://ecir.groups.io/g/main/message/236859

Did this for a year.  Would definitely do it again if needed.
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Nancy C in NH
ECIR Moderator 2003
ECIR Group Inc. President/Treasurer  2021-2022

The cooler is a GREAT idea.  Particularly interested in it not freezing as I have been wondering what I was going to do when winter hits.  Thank you so much.


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Kristie, Siena, and Satch in Western Colorado 2022
(https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Kristie%20&%20Siena) 
Siena 

I have been under the impression that soaking the hay for too long causes the production of nitrates or something else bad (???).  So, my soaked hay drains overnight, resting on a wire shelf which is elevated up off the bottom of the wheelbarrow (photo link below).  The hay drains nicely and smells fine in the morning.  I wonder if your issue is the hay net, as much as the hay itself.

I use a cooler for steaming hay during the coldest months of winter.  Again, the hay is elevated off the bottom of the cooler with a wire shelf on short legs.  If the lid is not propped open a bit for air flow, the cooler will mold while stored for the summer.  (That was fun to clean out.)  But, keeping the cooler closed overnight has never been a problem.  And, the steamed hay does not freeze.

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/photo/265813/3456147?p=Created%2C%2C%2C20%2C2%2C0%2C0

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Sheri P in IL 2021
Peaches Case History & files:  https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Sheri%20and%20Peaches

Hi Sheri

Nitrates are water soluble so can be soaked out like sugar and potassium. There has been some suggestion that iron and sugar would leach back into the hay if left too long to soak. Not sure where that came from exactly, but I did not find that to be so in pre- and post-soak testing. I've never had to worry about nitrates so cannot report on them but 99% sure they would not be produced in soaked hay.

I'd agree with your theory about hay drying in a hay net. Mine as spread out. Sometimes it froze once drained, but Beau never seemed to mind.
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Nancy C in NH
ECIR Moderator 2003
ECIR Group Inc. President/Treasurer  2021-2022

Bacterial overgrowth can occur  if hay is soaked a long time, risk increasing with the temperature. As Nancy said, nitrates soak out and are not an issue. Sugar will equilibrate between the hay and way regardless of how long you soak; soaking can only remove surface iron but if the water is acidic it can may it more soluble and the hay will then take it up until it equilibrates.
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Eleanor in PA

www.drkellon.com 
EC Owner 2001

Just to add a bit more to my N=1 experiment in soaking over night and all day: I did check water temp in the cooler before emptying. My water continuously stayed well into the cool/cold range in the "extreme" Coleman cooler. I have that water temp recorded somewhere but it will take me a bit to find it. My well is also treated so pH/aciditiy was not an issue.
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Nancy C in NH
ECIR Moderator 2003
ECIR Group Inc. President/Treasurer  2021-2022

Nancy,
Thanks for sharing your experience using a marine cooler.  I suspect a high quality of cooler does a better job at keeping soaked hay fresh because it controls inside temperature better than less expensive ones.  You also answered my question about if hay can be left soaking overnight and then drained just before feeding. That would be very convenient!  I soaked hay all winter long inside my house in a large utility sink in my laundry room.  Creates a big mess but does have advantage of access to warm water.  Downside is laundry tub faucet uses only softened water so use a lot more water softener salt than we used to.  Also had to rinse Apollo's hay before soaking it because of heavy soil contamination making hay prep even more labor and water use intensive.  Since it's warm now, I've been rinsing, draining and then soaking his hay outside in metal garbage can using a drinking safe water hose to fill it.  I've tried drying soaked hay on blacktop driveway, but it blows all over if it's a breezy day and won't work during winter here in Wisconsin.  I have thought about making some kind of rack for drying hay for warm weather use.  Anyone have any suggestions?  I hope I won't have to soak new hay but I want to prepare for that possibility.  
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Karen B.
Wisconsin
2022
Apollo Case History: https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Karen%20and%20Apollo
Photo album:  https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=275817

Some thoughts on soaking hay for more convenience. I had a cooler once that, plugged into an electric source so that it could be set to warm or cool so might work well for both summer and winter. Gotta keep the emerging haynet from soaking utensil as close as possible to where it can dry as it is so heavy. Look at some old pictures of how salmon was dried on fish racks also tabacco racks, old scottish herring racks etc. The old folks knew how to do things.
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- Frances C.
December 2017, Washington & California
Case history: https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Frances%20and%20Phoenix
Phoenix's Photo Album: https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=12382