Hay steamer? Oh, I'll build one myself!
A DIY solution consisting of a rain barrel, bicycle basket, and a good old Kärcher is definitely the cheaper option. But what does it actually achieve?
The fact is: To eliminate all respirable pests, the hay must reach at least 75°C. This can only be effectively achieved by steaming the hay evenly from the inside out.
In most home-made models, the steam outlet is located under the hay.
The steam rises through the simplest gaps, which are usually located at the edge of the container. The hay becomes hot there, but in the center it is only lukewarm and moist.
This produces the same effect as soaking or wetting hay. The bacteria multiply by 150% within 10 minutes. After just 30 minutes, the bacteria have multiplied by 15 times, and after one hour by 244 times.
In addition, very few rain barrels or garbage cans are made of food-safe, let alone heat-resistant plastic.
The steam in the hay travels from the inside out through the entire hay mass until the thermometer in the lid reads approximately 90°C. This process takes approximately 50 minutes and heats the hay completely to over 75°C, killing 98% of all bacteria, dust mites, and fungal spores.
Hay steamed with professional hay steamers often appears drier after steaming than that steamed with homemade devices. This is because the moisture evaporates immediately due to the intense heat. However, the respirable particles are boiled away and can therefore no longer trigger allergens.
Some horses even stop coughing when using a homemade hay hay sty. This isn't due to the absence of bacteria, but rather because the moisture in the hay causes all respirable particles to stick to the hay and land in the stomach.
Depending on your horse's sensitivity, other problems may arise, such as rash, diarrhea, etc.
