On February 28, 2025, 20 interested participants took part in a practical seminar with engineer Reinhard Resch to assess the quality of horse hay using their own senses.
The newly developed ÖAG key for horse hay (2025) used, which pays particular attention to...
- Dust formation
- Odor
- Color
- Structure and impurities
but also addresses the plants (stage of development, poisonous plants), moisture content, particle length and stored product pests.
After the initial training, the participants first independently evaluated high-quality hay samples from the 2023 horse hay project. They then examined their own hay samples. It turned out that some of these showed significant signs of storage mold, including mildew and dust. Seminar leader Reinhard Resch discussed the samples and answered various questions on improving hay quality. The new ÖAG horse hay rating system provides horse owners with a practical and simple tool for quickly assessing and documenting the quality of their own or purchased hay.
Photos from the seminar:
