A hayloft is a space above a barn,

stable A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals and livestock. There are many different types of stables in use today; the ...

cow-shed A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Allen G. N ...

, traditionally used for storage of hay or other fodder for the animals below. Haylofts were used mainly before the widespread use of very large

hay bale Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticat ...

s, which allow simpler handling of bulk hay. The hayloft is filled with loose hay from the top of a wagon, thrown up through a large door, usually some or more above the ground, often in the

gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aest ...

end of the building. Some haylofts have slots or holes (sometimes with hatches), each above a hay-rack or manger in the animal housing below. The hay could easily be dropped through the holes to feed the animals. Another method of using a hayloft is to create small bundles of hay (1–4 cubic feet), then hoist them up using a block and tackle—in this case a

hay elevator A hay elevator is an elevator that hauls bales of hay or straw up to a hayloft, the section of a barn used for hay storage. Hay elevators are either ramped conveyor belts that bales rest on, or a mechanized pair of chains that holds bales taut b ...

to the room. This allows for more efficiency when moving hay around. The difference between a hayloft and a mow is significant. A mow is exposed to the weather, only elevated on a small platform off the ground. This is often used for drying hay. A hayloft is used for more permanent storage of hay. It is sheltered from the weather and where a modern-day

attic An attic (sometimes referred to as a ''loft'') is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building; an attic may also be called a ''sky parlor'' or a garret. Because attics fill the space between the ceiling of the ...

would be. A struggle in any type of keeping hay is that it must be totally dry. Otherwise, when piled up in a hayloft, it will start to

compost Compost is a mixture of ingredients used as plant fertilizer and to improve soil's physical, chemical and biological properties. It is commonly prepared by decomposing plant, food waste, recycling organic materials and manure. The resulting ...

. The insulation provided by the other hay ensures that thermophilic bacteria involved in the decomposition will be at their ideal temperature, thus turning the good hay into the dirt. That is also why farmers are so determined to keep hay off the ground since it would absorb moisture. Haylofts in old buildings are now often used for other storage or have been converted into habitable rooms. However, farms that use small square hay bales may still use the hayloft for storage of hay. Many farmers now use bales of hay so large they must be handled by machinery, and these are normally stored in more open buildings or outside. Others have forgone hay in favor of grain or silage.

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{{Commonscat-inline, Hay lofts Agricultural buildings

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