ArticleAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI2025
Sensory Assessment of Hay Samples: Abnormal Odor Predicts Increased Dust Levels and Impurities Suggest Microbiological Contamination.
Article in Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Airborne dust and microorganisms from hay produced on intensively and extensively managed grasslands in Switzerland.Veterinary and animal science · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Hay quality is a key factor in equine respiratory health, with microbiological contaminants in inhaled organic dust posing significant risks. Sensory assessment has been used to evaluate hay hygiene, but its value to identify deficiencies remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the potential of sensory assessment to predict both particulate matter (PM) dust concentrations and microbiological contamination. Fifty hay samples were collected from horse owners and evaluated using a structured sensory examination, microbiological analyses, and dust concentration measurements obtained with the Hay-Shaker device and a DustTrak DRX 8534. Sensory examination rated only 28% of samples as adequate, with 52% showing minor and 20% major deficiencies. Microbiological analysis found that 46% of samples met acceptable standards. Regression analysis showed that abnormal musty odor was the strongest predictor of increased dust concentrations, including the respirable fraction (PM4, <4 µm), while visible impurities were associated with microbial contamination. These findings suggest that sensory attributes such as odor and impurity are valuable indicators of hay hygiene. Structured protocols for sensory examination may offer a simple and cost-effective tool for assessing hay quality in equine environments.
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Registered trials
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