Time Matters: Effectiveness of Steaming Times on Forage for Animal Consumption

Abstract

The goal of this research is to determine the effectiveness of portable hay steamer equipment for horse owners averaging 1-15 head.  Hay is a large portion of horses’ diets, but it has a short shelf life.  Dust from hay also becomes a problem due to respiratory diseases. There is a need for a healthier alternative for storing and feeding hay in order to promote optimum animal health.  This study tests the effectiveness of four steaming times on the cleanliness of high-quality, Bermuda hay in the portable steamer.  Swabs were taken from pre and post steaming hay samples and incubated on nutrient agar plates at 37 degrees Celsius for 24 hours. After incubation, bacterial colonies were counted to compare the change in bacteria present from before and after the steaming process. Using two-sample mean differences tests, we found steaming time had a significant impact on the cleanliness of hay.