Soaking hay reduces dust, although it does not always reduce the dust challenge to a level that results in the complete resolution of symptoms of heaves. Soaking is efficient only when it is done for several hours and when the hay is completely soaked. Therefore just wetting hay right before feeding will be unrewarding. However, prolonged soaking of hay reduces its nutritive content due to leaching of soluble nutrients. The water used to soak the hay should be changed daily to prevent build up of microbes. The dust content of hay may alternatively be reduced by mechanical agitation in conjunction with vacuum removal of liberated airborne particles.
Does soaking hay help with heaves? How long should you soak?
