Last year was a challenging year for even our experienced hay producers relative to baling and storage moisture. We experienced several hay fires along with lower quality as a result of excessive heating caused by baling at higher than safe moisture. When the internal temperature of hay rises above 130 degrees Fahrenheit, problems arise that will initially lead to lower quality and possibly spontaneous combustion. All hay baled above 15% moisture and above will show some increase in temperature for the first couple weeks after baling. This is referred to as "sweat". It will usually peak at 125 to 130 degrees F in the first two weeks after baling withminimum risk of combustion or quality loss. When moisture is too high and temperatures continue to rise, problems can occur.