Extra hifi so i can conserve hay?

[Crazy_cat_lady]

H currently has 3 large sections or 4 small on an evening of hay. (15.2 Welsh d)

My hay supplier is really struggling to get hay as its been so dry, at present I can get some but not sure how long for

I don't really want to go on to hayledge as think it'll be too rich for him and I've heard it sends them nuts

I was thinking of dropping a section of hay, and giving him a tub of hifi instead, but how much should I give him (he has a scoop in his dinner already)

I'm on livery so storage limited so can't buy up a load of hay only what I can fit in my storage area

 

[maisie06]

A coop of hifi weighs around 300g so weigh whatever the section of hay is and replace with the hifi. Do you have access to good quality straw at all? I have used it to mix with hay when hay was extremely short a few years back.

 

[Griffin]

A coop of hifi weighs around 300g so weigh whatever the section of hay is and replace with the hifi. Do you have access to good quality straw at all? I have used it to mix with hay when hay was extremely short a few years back.

I have done a hay and straw mix in the past too.

You could also look at Honeychop, they do a variety of different types that may work.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

Some of the haylage you get in the feed stores is actually not hugely heating. I think its the meadow variety you would want, would work out cheaper than trying to substitute hay for chaff, I would imagine.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Interesting, the only trouble with straw is isn't that quite limited too?

I'm looking on the honey chop website, how would feeding that in place of a section of hay work would I just put some in a tub for him?

Good to know there are some types of hayledge out as an absolute last resort, even if I did the same and had part hayledge part hay

 

[PapaverFollis]

Not all horses go nuts on haylage. In fact I fed mostly haylage to all my horses before we moved north because hay was always harder to get in Cumbria. Pretty much everything around us being fed haylage. Obviously there were some (a normal variation kind of amount) that displayed nutty behaviour but that could have been for a number of reasons, I wouldn't have pinned it on the haylage.

I sometimes get small bale haylage here and have not noticed any significant behaviour changes related to it.

 

[fairyclare]

If you avoid Rye grass mixes then haylege shouldn't cause you a problem.
Timothy haylage is good for non heating.

 

[Shilasdair]

You can feed various chaffs as partial or total hay replacers - Hi Fi Lite, Hi Fi Molasses Free (these two are alfalfa/straw mixes), Honeychop Lite and Healthy (timothy/straw mix) etc.
Just weight it dry in a tub trug and then damp it well before feeding.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Thanks some interesting options here

If I'm giving him a tub of hifi/ honey chop or whatever, those that use it as a partial hay replacer, do they tend to gorge it, or just chomp through it like they do hay? He's not greedy as a whole, but will he see it as his dinner and plough through it quickly?

I've contacted honey chop for a sample as if it's more economical to use as a substitute for hay than hifi, great! Need to see if he likes it though

Those who have said some types of hayledge shouldn't send him nuts- does this include spooky to ride/ handle, as that's what he does, rather than p off with me/ buck etc?

I'll have to see if they do samples, is it richer than hay? He has cushings and while he hasn't shown any lami signs, is it safe for a cushings horse?

Also, I'm sure I've seen some horror stories on here about hayledge and botulism, how could I avoid that? Does it have to be stored or managed in a certain way?

 

[PapaverFollis]

Has he gone spooky on haylage before or are you just thinking he will because other people have said their horses go nuts on it?

All you can do is try and see. As I said I've never had or seen that be a particular issue over a number of years of feeding haylage.

Small bale haylage is safer as far as botulism is concerned.

 

[Shilasdair]

They don't tend to eat chaff any faster than hay - maybe they will be keen initially but it soon wears off. It's high fibre so takes a bit of chewing too.

And regarding botulism in haylage - you'd have to be very, very unlucky to experience that! It used to be a problem in silage, but not really haylage.

Finally, if your boy has Cushings/susceptibility to laminitis you'd be safer feeding the chaffs as they tend to be low sugar (particularly Hi Fi Molasses Free, and Honeychop Lite and Healthy). If they are still too energy high (both around 8.5 DE) you can always mix a bit of Top Chop Zero in (it's just straw chaff).

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Re the spookiness, he's a bit special! (For example hacking yesterday did a massive spook at a tiny bit of tarmac that has splashed on the road, yet walked past a carrier bag of rubbish someone had dumped) also can be very spooky to handle. He isn't allowed swede ever again, as he's had it twice, and both times went EXTRA special!

It is a fair point, and I am probably influenced by stories on here of people's horses going mad on haylage, which is what is making me nervous about trying it.

I think I'll try the extra hifi/chaff/honey chop or whatever first, in place of 1 section. If things got really short with hay, could I even replace 2 sections with it? That sounds a whopping amount of hifi though!

How damp would you make it?

If I do go down the haylage route, I'll drop the company who my local feedshop stock an email- surely they do samples? At least then if he's fine, I could invest in a bag, but if he isn't, I'm not stuck with a bag as no one else on my yard uses it (at present, unless it gets really bad with hay!)

 

[planete]

I researched haylage for my PPID veteran last year and found three with levels of sugar and starch that were low enough to be suitable for him, Horsehage Timothy, Horsehage High Fibre and Devon Timothy.

 

[rextherobber]

I've run out of hay and am feeding my Cushings mare the blue hi fibre haylage (Marksway Horsehage?) as she won't eat the timothy one . There is an analysis on their website, it really isn't that bad, she gets Honeychop lite and healthy as a bucket feed for supplements. The nutter also gets it as we have no grass, and needs someting when stabled and is and is no more nutty on it than on hay. Simple systems Haycare is a very palatable soaked hay replacement too

 

[saddlesore]

I’ve had horses 30yrs and I’ve honestly never noticed a difference in behaviour between hay and haylage. I wouldn’t worry ?

 

[Fransurrey]

To be honest I think you'd be more at risk sending your horse loopy on extra HiFi or Honeychop. One contains high protein alfalfa and the other molasses, which may upset the gut microbiota balance more than meadow haylage. Sounds more expensive, too.

 

[NinjaPony]

I fed my copd Connie on horsehage Timothy haylage with no troubles at all, and he was a good-doer. Ryegrass haylage and molasses always made him a bit bonkers but he was a lamb on the Timothy haylage.

 

[PurBee]

I researched haylage for my PPID veteran last year and found three with levels of sugar and starch that were low enough to be suitable for him, Horsehage Timothy, Horsehage High Fibre and Devon Timothy.

This^^

Not all haylage is equal.
If its ryegrass and cut early itll be higher in sugars/protein than late cut haylage.
There’s a dominant sports horse market for haylage thats the super-rich early cut stuff and that can send horses a bit sharp - which is what people want with racehorses....i guess.

Horsehage do a ‘high fibre’ ryegrass.....cut late and very weighty full bags compared to other companies. 20+kg compared to others @ 15-18kg per bag.
HH actually make it differently to most small bagged halyage - they make small bales, like hay, and double wrap those small bales to ferment and sell those bales.
Most other companies make huge bales of haylage, let it ferment, then re-package it into small bags. Oftentimes you’ll get ‘secondary fermentation’ happening from this re-packaging method, so the haylage could have lots of ‘yeast’ - that then turns fluffy grey and moulding, or the secondary fermentation then makes the haylage vinegary.

Horsehage highfibre ryegrass and their timothy are good. My horses are prone to being sharp and bordering on laminitis with ryegrass hay, but on haylage of ryegrass - the sugars are fermented, (when made properly) and the end product is low sugar, high fibre, medium protein.
Devon Haylage also do a superb ryegrass/timothy mix perfectly made, non-heating due to proper fermentation.
Both companies brilliant customer service, very helpful and know how to make haylage.
Out of the 10+ major haylage brands ive used - these are the best. Worth every penny.
Haylage stores well - just dont pierce the bags - if you do, gaffa tape the hole quickly.

If you have a good hay supplier normally - you could have some haylage stored as ‘spare’ should your hay supply suddenly dwindle, cant be replaced.
Some horses do fine on suddenly being switched to haylage - some prefer slower introduction. Thats why a good made product is essential so all the lacto-bacteria have exhausted all the sugar, and there’s not a high level of lactic acid in the product...affecting bowel balance.

Whatever you do dont be tempted to get a huge farmer-made round of haylage for 30 quid. Theres too many issues to list here about why, but stick to companies recommended who know how to make proper haylage.

 

[rextherobber]

To be honest I think you'd be more at risk sending your horse loopy on extra HiFi or Honeychop. One contains high protein alfalfa and the other molasses, which may upset the gut microbiota balance more than meadow haylage. Sounds more expensive, too.

Honeychop lite and healthy doesn't have alfalfa or molasses

 

[milliepops]

the biggest issue with getting a big round bale of haylage would be trying to use it up with just one horse as the weather warms up
good luck getting one for £30 this year, too!!

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Why not just soak the haylege? That’s what I would do if I was you, you will be a fortune in hifi

 

[Fransurrey]

Honeychop lite and healthy doesn't have alfalfa or molasses

OP only mentions Honeychop. The original Honeychop is dripping in the stuff. The alfalfa part of my comment is in relation to the Hi Fi.

 

[FireCracker238]

Why not just soak the haylege? That’s what I would do if I was you, you will be a fortune in hifi

I may be wrong but I didn't think soaking haylage was a thing, something to do with secondary fermentation ?‍

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I’ve done it with no issues and many of the laminitis pages say to do it if you can’t get hay. I don’t leave it for hours. Normally just for as long as I’m at the yard then hang before I go.

 

[MissMoo]

I have a mare who has never eaten much hay, regardless of type. Following the advice of a nutritionist I started feeding her chaff as a hay replacer many years ago and still do so, it works really well for her and I don't find it works out more expensive.

 

[rextherobber]

Fast Fibre can also be used as a hay replacer, I think the way the weather is going, we may all be looking into this in a few months..

 

[Leandy]

No idea why you are so adverse to haylage. That would be the obvious way to go for me. Have often fed it with no noticeable difference between it and hay in how they react ie they don't. It is all made of grass just the same. All hay is not equal and all haylage is not equal. Just make sure you buy a suitable type and don't over feed it.

 

[planete]

I am supplementing my dwindling hay with Horsehage high fibre at the moment and schooling my little gypsy cob who can be a thug and he has not put a foot wrong. I would not feed him alfalfa though as far too rich and good at putting weight on.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

So I've been and chatted to the wise lady at the tack/feed shop.

She was also in agreement with a lot of you, to go down the haylage route, so I have a bag to trial, the price hay is atm, it isn't actually far off a bale. She also said as you can't put hifi in a net etc he will eat it quicker than a section of hay

It's the Timothy haylage which I know most of you said to try. I also have some honey chop trials on the way so I'll also see if he eats it, then I have that as an option in case he is a tit on haylage. Or I'll have to do hifi molasses free in place of the section of hay.

Also at least if he's OK on haylage, if the worst comes to it I could replace 2 sections hay with it and have just the 1 of hay

 

[Shilasdair]

What the wise lady at the tack/feed shop neglected to mention is that the DE content of Hi Fi Lite etc. is less than that of Timothy Haylage - so if you want him to lose weight/stay trim Hi Fi Molasses Free, Hi Fi Lite or Honeychop Lite and Healthy are better choices.

If he's an ok weight, then Timothy Haylage is probably a good choice.