Eating silage

[JBM]

My horse is in a field with sheep and she sometimes snacks on their silage is that okie?

 

[cobgoblin]

I was always taught never to allow a horse to eat silage. Mainly because of the risk of botulism.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I always thought it's not something that is very good for horses.

 

[ycbm]

I liveried at a farm that used it and no harm came to any of the horses. I wouldn't feed it by choice because of the acidity. Is it clamp silage or baled? I think the risks are probably higher with a clamp, I'm not sure.

Would it be easy enough to ring the feeder with wire that the sheep can get under?

 

[Chinchilla]

I was always taught never to allow a horse to eat silage. Mainly because of the risk of botulism.

I thought this was the case.

 

[PurBee]

Oh i wouldnt as its grass cut and immediately fermented, like them eating sauerkraut constantly. If its made badly there’s risk of botulism and mycotoxicosis from potential moulds that have grown if the clamp/wrapping was not completely air-tight.

cows/sheep tend to be far less sensitive to fodder requirements and so silage is considered ok for them. Horses in comparison have a far more sensitive gut.

I’ve seen silage which looks like damp haylage, and ive seen silage that’s literally black clumps of rotten grass, so quality is varied...i know some feed a bit to their farm horse, i wouldnt risk a horse on either personally. Horses would like it though as it will be very tasty/appealing.

 

[JBM]

I

I liveried at a farm that used it and no harm came to any of the horses. I wouldn't feed it by choice because of the acidity. Is it clamp silage or baled? I think the risks are probably higher with a clamp, I'm not sure.

Would it be easy enough to ring the feeder with wire that the sheep can get under?

Ive come to realise that Judy doesn’t care about wire and will injure herself to walk though it ?

 

[JBM]

It’s clamp silage. She doesn’t eat it often as she definitely prefers the grass in the field but I see her nibbling some occasionally when she hangs out with the sheep. I’d have to keep her in a field alone to keep her from the silage which I may have to do if it’s going to be harmful

 

[ycbm]

Farmers can add something that stops botulism, because they don't want it for sheep and cows either. Can you check if yours has been treated?
.

 

[JBM]

Farmers can add something that stops botulism, because they don't want it for sheep and cows either. Can you check if yours has been treated?
.

Well none of our cows have ever got botulism if Judy got it would the cows too? Or is she more likely to get it? Not treated tho

 

[Mule]

There is a small risk of botulism but only in poorly made silage. If it's rotten from being baled when too wet for example. I know of a riding school (based on a farm) that feeds silage as a matter of course and has done for 30 odd years. Based on that, I'd say its safer than its commonly perceived to be.

 

[JBM]

There is a small risk of botulism but only in poorly made silage. If it's rotten from being baled when too wet for example. I know of a riding school (based on a farm) that feeds silage as a matter of course and has done for 30 odd years. Based on that, I'd say its safer than its commonly perceived to be.

Thanks a bunch! Her main diet is haylage and grass she just nibbles on the silage sometime around the sheep I assume they having a chat!

 

[paddy555]

There is a small risk of botulism but only in poorly made silage. If it's rotten from being baled when too wet for example. I know of a riding school (based on a farm) that feeds silage as a matter of course and has done for 30 odd years. Based on that, I'd say its safer than its commonly perceived to be.

some yards do feed silage. They just accept the losses and there are losses ie deaths. It is difficult to save a horse with botulism. I am afraid the answer is usually a bullet.
I would keep Judy well out of the way of the clamp silage. Nothing is worth the risk of botulism. It is a killer.

 

[Mule]

some yards do feed silage. They just accept the losses and there are losses ie deaths. It is difficult to save a horse with botulism. I am afraid the answer is usually a bullet.
I would keep Judy well out of the way of the clamp silage. Nothing is worth the risk of botulism. It is a killer.

I hadn't thought of it that way

 

[JBM]

some yards do feed silage. They just accept the losses and there are losses ie deaths. It is difficult to save a horse with botulism. I am afraid the answer is usually a bullet.
I would keep Judy well out of the way of the clamp silage. Nothing is worth the risk of botulism. It is a killer.

Okie will do

 

[Tiddlypom]

There was a thread not long ago about a livery yard which lost 18 horses due to suspected botulism poisoning. It’s not something to mess with.

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/tragic-horse-deaths-from-contaminated-food.796390/

 

[Luxgood]

My horse is in a field with sheep and she sometimes snacks on their silage is that okie?

Hi Kate and Judy,
I think it depends on the quality of the silage, we would make silage and hay and our vet recommended silage for one horse who has wind issues. We have silage made from all reseeded ground and they love it.
Your horse has options too in that he gets grass and haylage, if the silage was bad they wouldn’t eat it, and seems to enjoy socialising with the sheep. I wouldn’t panic about it myself.

https://www.talkinggrass.co.uk/2012/03/06/horses-prefer-silage/