Jessi Lohman Manager of Equine Marketing
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By Jessica Lohman
Storing horse feed in a barn
Q: What are some good tips to keep in mind when deciding where and how to store feed in a barn?
A: The worst scenario for storing feed is to leave opened grain bags thrown in the corner of your barn aisle. Here are some tips for keeping your feed safe.
- First and foremost, your grain needs to be kept somewhere dry! Damp air is going to breed mold and your feed will spoil.
Secondly, your feed needs to be kept in as cool of a climate as possible to preserve its freshness. Hot temperatures will also cause feeds to spoil. Keep in mind that pelleted grains have a slightly longer “shelf life” than the moister, textured feeds. If there is a lot of traffic in your barn, make sure there are large visible signs on the feed room door that say KEEP DOOR CLOSED!
- It’s pertinent that your feed is kept in an air-tight container that is horse, rodent and child proof (yes, as a child, I used to go into the feed room and snack on chunks of sweet feed that were coated in molasses). A metal trash can or plastic tub with just a lid isn’t going to do the trick. If you are using tubs or cans, make sure to put some type of bungee cord over the top that secures to the handles on each side. Always have some type of reservoir to dump your grain into. It’s too easy for bugs and rodents to get through feed bags. Likewise, too many horses have foundered or coliced by being able to get into the feed room and nose their way into the feed tubs that weren’t tightly secured.
- If you have a lot of horses who require multiple feeds, there are carts available that are ideal for needing to feed a large number of horses. The grains can be poured directly from the bags into the sections of the cart.
- If you are in a situation where you have to “pre-mix” feeds hours before each meal is served, make sure your buckets are covered and far out of reach from horses, pets and rodents.
- I do not suggest mixing supplements into your horse’s grains far in advance. When supplements sit on top of the grain for a long time, the taste of the grain can become rancid.
- Make sure to rotate your feed. Do not dump bags of grain into your cans, tubs or carts until they are completely empty. Your horse won’t enjoy Triple Crown Complete in May that’s been sitting at the bottom of the feed can since January.
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