Feeding Hay / Haylage (sp)

[Vikki89]

The farmer i get my hay from has just run out of hay

and only has haylage left. It would be much more expensive to get hay from anywhere else as they charge delivery and farmer i use is in same village as me so doesn't.
So my question is i weight my haynets everyday so do you feed less/more/same amount of haylage as hay?

 

[lizziebell]

You'll get different answers on this as it depends on how dry or wet the haylage is, and the nutrional values of both the hay and the haylage.

Some will say less, as haylage has more protein.
Some will say more, as haylage has a higher water content.
Some will say to keep it the same.

Sorry, that probably doesn't help much !! I would start by feeding the same and adjust accordingly depending on whether weight is being gained/ lost, or any change in temperment.

 

[millitiger]

do you weigh your haynets for good doers or just to make sure they don't waste a lot?

 

[Vikki89]

I weigh them as they are good dooers, if i didn't they would just eat all of however much i gave them, very greedy ponies.

 

[Maisy]

I would feed about the same weight, as the haylage weighs more and therefore they would get less! I feed mine ad lib hay, but cant with haylage as they love it and would eat until they pop!!

 

[BFG]

Just as a guide, a lady on our yard is very strict with her horse and he is a good doer. She gives him exactly the same weight of each so there will be more in the net when he is on hay than there is when he is on haylage.