confused!

[lucyjane96]

At our yard the farmer sells haylage. He mows the fields, teds (turns the grass over) once a day for 3 to 4 days then wraps it in plastic wraps for round bales. Its tedded until 75% dry, not cut too close to the ground and is actually nice stuff not too wet. Now I see that as haylage but another livery refuses to feed it as she said its like dry silage? As far as I know silage is wrapped the same day as cut.

Can someone shed light? Would you feed it yours?

 

[twiggy2]

it is haylage but personally i wont feed haylage-the general consensus these days is that haylage is fine though, i am just old fashioned

 

[jrp204]

Yes, we always bale haylage when it is one day off being hay which sounds like what your bloke is doing. Silage would be wetter, cut and baled within 2 days or so. It is 'dry silage'.

 

[Nannon]

My dad does this with ours and my horses love it silage is much wetter, haylage is dry but sweeter than hay I think... Should really know being a farmers daughter and the OH is a farmer too haha!

 

[EffyCorsten]

Silage and haylage aren't the same, haylage is just hay that is baled with a higher moisture content.

Silage is either baled or made into pit silage it is stored quickly after cutting and goes through a hot fermentation process. this is what can cause botulism If not fermented correctly c. botulinum toxin can grow.

there is a risk of botulism with haylage but its low.

 

[jrp204]

Haylage has to go through the fermentation process. Hay baled with a higher moisture will go mouldy, if it is wrapped, excluding oxygen it will ferment, preserving it. Making it effectively 'dry silage'.