Advice/Help Please.....Haylage

fairlady

fairlady

New Member
Jul 14, 2007
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Bristol
Could somebody give me some details regarding Haylage?

In all the years dealing with Horses I have never fed it or tbh come
across anybody who did.

How much 'richer' is it than Hay?

How long does it last when opened and best way to store it.?

How do you feed it and about how much per Horse?

My main worry is that it may be too 'rich' for Bert and Sioned, could
that be a problem.?

Just thinking with maybe the shortage/price of hay it may be worth getting
some Haylage in just in case, have found a supplier at £5 for a small bale, (about 1/2 normal hay bale size) not sure if thats right/cheap/dear TBH,
alternative I know somebody who sells it by a large bag for £3:smile:
 
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I'm not sure about pricing but haylage has more protein, so is fed in smaller quantities, I know lots of native ponies that live on it quite happily
 
Thats cheap I think, ours are £6/7 a bale which is about 2/3 a bale of hay. Same price for something like equilage too.

Have you looked at ordering in mollichaff timothy hay? Its about £5/6 a bag, and bagged up with contents on packet.

I will feed mine hayledge though I prefer not too as hay takes longer to eat for mine and les tempted to scoff it than haylage.
 
PFB, how much haylage would you feed compared to hay

For instance I fill two average sized nets per evening, stuffed, with hay
as well as giving them both a feed, well Bert just has a handful of chaff tbh.

Would you feed haylage AND feed?
 
bitsnpieces said:
I'm not sure about pricing but haylage has more protein, so is fed in smaller quantities, I know lots of native ponies that live on it quite happily
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I have always thought you need to feed more in weight of haylage as it contains more water than hay, but less by looking at it wise as its denser than hay. I would weigh the hay that you feed now and then work out the percent body weight of how much haylage to feed.

I would try to use a bag of haylage within 7days so as to stop mould producing.
 
We sometimes feed a mixture of Hayledge and Hay to our pair. We get something called Craven Bale - it is in a square small bale, bit like Horsehage. It is excellent quality, and mixes in well with the hay. Although have to say, it does smell quite rich! It is suitable for good doers as I checked with our vet. I don't tend to give Storm very much of it atm, she doesn't need it and is doing well off hay alone. However, I don't like normal hayledge as it can be quite hit and miss, doesn't keep particularly well if you've only got two horses and can be very "strong" (translate that to loopy juice). When we first moved our two home, I was convinced that hayledge was best (having been on yards which fed nowt but hayledge). So, I sussed out a source but learned the hard way, it was really strong stuff and extremely rich quality, which gave our Joe low grade lami (but that was partly my fault for feeding too much).
I do think that you have to be careful where you source it from, and if you are in doubt about the strength and calorific value I wouldn't bother and would stick with hay. The stuff that we buy keeps 5 days but I do know people keep it longer than this and its fine.
 
I've been told you should feed more haylage, as it's water content is 50-60%, where as hay is about 2-10% and you should feed less of that..
 
actually I would scrap using haylage and stick to hay :giggle: Have you tired looking on ebay as I have noticed lots of hay being advertised on there. Big round bales for around £25 dont know the quality but thiefs would struggle to steal one let alone move it !
 
Dark Storm said:
www.ehhaylage.co.uk/forage_article.asp There's info about hay versus haylage about half way down article
I've just read, that with soaked hay - the water when used is more pollutant than sewage, and has to be disposed of carefully..
Click to expand...

But isnt that a sales ploy ?? I dont soak my hay so Im feeding a horse something worse than sewage..... I think thats a rash comment for a broad spectrum of hay.

Not digging at you for putting it up just their comment x
 
Libbylou said:
But isnt that a sales ploy ?? I dont soak my hay so Im feeding a horse something worse than sewage..... I think thats a rash comment for a broad spectrum of hay.

Not digging at you for putting it up just their comment x
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I read it, and thought.. "How could they compare used water to sewage?"
The bit about RAO does ring true thou, my lad is sensitive to dusty hay, and I ended up having to soak it. he's now on haylage (they don't supply hay at yard), his weights correct, he's been in good health this I changed the management of his forage..
Apparently if hay is stacked wrong after baling, it can ignite.. hay is combustible in the drying process, my old yo, used to stand over the worker who stacked his hay, to make sure they did it correct, it's really important for it to be just right at time of baling, or else we'd be in for a bad winter, and dusty low quality hay..
Haylage, if the seal is damaged.. the whole bale is lost, if you buy one, check it thoroughly for even the tiniest of nicks, and if it's newly baled, that hole must be sealed so its air tight.. My Yo lost 200 haylage bales, because they were baled wrong:banghead: The contracters only wrapped them with one layer.. should have been a few more
 
I have just paid £5.45 per bale to top up my home made haylage (didn't make enough this year as it was a trial run!).

It is quite a lot richer and can make them have squitty bums!!

Once opened keeps for around a week.

Because it has a higher water content you do need to feed more than you would hay.

My 12.2 welshy is fine on it. Just make sure you don't overfeed and make pony fat!

Haylage is fantastic as is it closer to grass i.e.not dry like hay, can be stored outdoors and is great as is not dusty (my pony gets an awful cough with hay even if it looks good quality).

If it is the first time you are feeding haylage, introduce it slowly and beware that when you open the first bag that the fermented smell doesn't blow you over LOL. I love it!
 
Im not sure Im going to have any choice but to get some haylage - Im about to run out of hay and anything is better than nothing!

Eek!!

I just prefer weight wise to not feed it, thought she has a dust allergy so should be on haylage though if I feed from the floor it eliminates the problem.
 
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