Another haylage question - to wrap or unwrap?

D

dollyanna

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 November 2011
Messages
1,310
Visit site
Sorry, I know there has been a few threads about haylage recently, but I am getting my first large bale delivered in the morning. Just wondering whether it is best to unwrap completely or just take of top layer of plastic and leave the rest intact? There seems to be differing thoughts on this.
It will be staying on pallets in a very breezy polytunnel in the field, so is dry and sheltered from the weather. It is a large square bale, and will be fed ad lib to 2 ponies out 24/7. I know it lasts 5 horses (stabled) about 6 days so hoping it will last my two 2 weeks or more.

Thoughts?
 
Very much depends on how much moisture there is in it. I use mine one slice at a time, and leave the wrap on so that the front slice keeps the air out of the rest. It is made anaerobically and once the air gets to it it begins deteriorating.
There are some people who will say take the wrap off - I did the first time I used some and the whole bale began to go off, so my advice is cut the end (the slightly more rounded than the flat sides) down the side corners and across the middle, find and cut the strings and use it slice by slice straight off the bale. Mine lasts about three weeks like that.
 
Haylage is ment to be used within 5 - 7 days once opened. Some can last a bit longer but personally I wouldn't be using 2 week old haylage. I leave as much wrapping on mine as I can to keep it moist else it just dries up and might as well feed hay
 
Like Jill says, depends on the moisture. I err on the side of caution and always open one end. If moist, you can take one slice at a time as suggested.
 
Ok, thank you, next question. Is there any problem with dry haylage or is it just that many people use it because it is moist ie to reduce dust etc? I can get smaller bales easily, that's not a problem.
 
I always unwrap haylage, I find it does much better. Remember to unwrap underneath too!

When you say dry haylage do you mean damp haylage that has, in all effect, dried out and lost its feed value and goodness, or haylage that is made dryer than usual haylage? The second type of haylage is lovely to use and great for horses.

By the way, I've used haylage for 8-10 days but wouldn't want to be doing any longer, and your ponies may even get longer than two weeks out of one bale.

ps, if you're storing it on pallets and its definitely out of the wind and rain you would probably be better buying big haybales that will last for ages and not go off.
 
Thanks. I meant haylage that has dried out, this haylage is already quite dry and really nice. Hay bales aren't an option because of access to the field, I need a supplier who is willing to deliver by tractor as there is no other way to get it there at the moment. I have always fed hay in the past but for various reasons I am going to try them with haylage and see how they get on - when it freezes I may be able to get some hay in as well but at the moment it is impossible.
 
Holly08 said:
I always unwrap haylage, I find it does much better. Remember to unwrap underneath too!

When you say dry haylage do you mean damp haylage that has, in all effect, dried out and lost its feed value and goodness, or haylage that is made dryer than usual haylage? The second type of haylage is lovely to use and great for horses.

By the way, I've used haylage for 8-10 days but wouldn't want to be doing any longer, and your ponies may even get longer than two weeks out of one bale.

ps, if you're storing it on pallets and its definitely out of the wind and rain you would probably be better buying big haybales that will last for ages and not go off.
Click to expand...

I always unwrap, I keep mine (big round bale) on a pallet inside a big, very airy barn. It does depend I think on how old the haylage is and how and what stage it is cut. I'm not an expert on this I rely on my supplier. If it is baled tightly then it shouldn't go off too quickly once unwrapped. I can get a month out of a big bale at the moment but it's generally about 3 weeks. I always wrap it back up tightly with the mesh string once I have what I need and I think that does maintain its integrity. Also ambient air temperature plays a part. In the very mild August temperature there was no way on earth it wasn't going to heat up in the middle of the bale, so I simply unravelled it and dried it in the barn. Wasn't ideal but I learned the hard way when a bale went mouldy in the middle.
 
I feed big bale haylage, it is also quite dry (more hay like). Mine is stored out in the open so I open one end and just take out what I need then close it all up and cover with an old turnout rug. It lasts 7 -10 days for two horses.
 
We have large bales and always unwrap - the only time we haven't it started to heat up and lost the end of the bale. It is stored in an open barn on pallets.

Our haylage is very 'dry' and a bale at this time of year will easily last up to 3 weeks. We don't use haylage in the summer but imagine it would be more of a problem then.

Dried out haylage does become like hay but imagine still retains a higher moisture. However the older and drier it gets the nutritional content may be compromised?

Hope that helps!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top