Re: RC: haylege

[Annette Gordon <agordon@worldofwonder.co.uk>]

Hi Sandy 

We feed a lot of haylage in the UK. It gets baled early as you say, no need
to wait for the sun to dry it as with hay, it's baled in big air tight
sealed bags. It is not however slimy at all when you open the bag. It's more
like moist hay. If we ever opened a bag and found it to be slimy we would
certainly not feed it.

You certainly have to be careful when feeding haylage. If you open a bag and
air has got in causing it to go mouldy then you don't feed it. If you don't
feed the contents of the bag within 2 to 3 days (depending on the weather)
then the haylage goes "off" and becomes dangerous. You feed less of it than
hay because of the high water content. It has a higher feed value than hay
but some horses become very fizzy and crazy on it. Some horses also get
diaorhea (may have spelt that wrong) on it. Every horse I've seen eat it
loves it and wolfs it down.

You have to follow the above rules with it carefully because when it goes
off it gives horses botulism, which isn't very pleasant. You can smell when
it's gone "off" it has a strong fermented smell. Not to be confused with the
fresher sweet smell of good haylage.

It's good stuff but needs handling with care. Our haylage at our yard is
made for us the version they feed cattle is made differently and is called
silage - don't know what the difference is but there is one based on the
fact I think that cows can deal with lusher grass etc with a higher water
content. 

I'm no expert on haylage but I'd think very carefully and probably wouldn't
feed anything made for cows to my horses. But the process maybe different in
the U.S. 

Hope this helps. 

Bye 

Annette