Dry haylage

H

Hayjay

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 January 2005
Messages
330
Visit site
I had too much grass this year so asked the local farmer to make haylage for me. I've ended up with 16 round bales. I've opened the first one and it's very dry compared to the haylage I buy in. It's seems more like hay to me although smells a little sweeter. My mare coughs on hay but was fine on the bought in haylage - I'll start feeding it and hopefully she won't cough!! I'm also wondering, as it's so hay like, whether it's suitable to be soaked for my two ponies, who I usually buy hay in for? Anyone had any very dry haylage who can advise me? Thank you!
 
The haylage I bought last winter was very dry, nothing coughed on it and my fat ponies had it soaked once my hay ran out with no problems either, the other bonus is it lasts longer without heating up.
 
Thanks everyone. I've become a little obsessed as my mare coughed a lot last year until I changed her to haylage. I gave her some of the home made haylage in the field the other day and then yesterday she had a brief freakout around the field and then coughed :-o . I realise I am probably paranoid and she was having a clear out. If I ran up the field I'd cough too ..... actually I couldn't even run up the field!!! I'll keep a close eye on her. I shall probably still soak it for the boys as although my shetland has never had laminitis and the 12.2 has been lami free since diagnosed with cushings 5 years ago, I am always really careful with them. I shall send a sample off too for analysis :-)
 
I wouldn't celebrate too soon. Haylage needs a minimum of moisture for the proper fermentation to take place. If conditions are right, the "right" bacteria outcompete the "wrong" sort of bacteria. If the haylage was too dry when wrapped it may still have high sugar levels in it (as the fermentation process converts those sugars into fatty acids), or you may have had the wrong type of bacteria multiplying. "Wrapped hay" is not the same as haylage. I would get an analysis done to make sure the fermentation process went okay.
 
I've made haylage for years now, always have it cut late and baled a bit on the dry side. My old cushings TB who used to have soaked hay is fine on it and I don't find it makes the horses fizzy as some haylage can. I use my nose to check if it's OK, if it smells sweet I reckon it's fine, if it's sour or showing any mould, then it gets ditched. I have small bales made which with 2 horses last around 9/10 days and I only tend to waste it in hot weather.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top