Feeding Haylage - advice please

[Sags_Deer]

Yes I know this should be in Stable but more peeps are in here. I currently feed my 2 hay, considering haylage. Obviously i would need to mix it to start with to introduce it.
How long does a bale stay fresh for.
Should I look to feed the drier type.
What sort of quantity do I feed.
Any other tips would be great too.

Thank you.

 

[TGM]

I presently feed big bale meadow haylage, which is quite dry. I've always had dryish haylages and have never had any problems with horses getting loose on it. I find a big rectangular bale lasts a fortnight in the winter - but in warmer weather it can go off more quickly. I feed the same amount by volume as I do with hay.

 

[DW Team]

The haylage I have is used in about 6 days between 5 large horse. It is quite dry meadow haylage and I feed very much as I would if feeding hay. Ours comes in big round bales. I open a bale fill nets and then cover with tarp and ratchet strap the tarp in place. I have not yet had a bale go off but then I am using it quickly. I have had to send the odd bale back as sometimes it has gone off in the wrapper something that just seems to happen. I think I get about 30 large nets out of the bale that I am getting.

 

[Godknows]

I use the small field wrapped as I only have 1 horse a small bale does him 3 days was advised haylage can go off in over 5 days. If there is any damage to the wrap even a pin hole to let the air in it will go off. I can't feed hay

 

[millitiger]

we feed ryegrass haylage- not too dry, not too wet!

4ft square bale will last 5 horses in at night for around 4 to 5 days- 3 horses have haynets, 2 have ad-lib.

 

[BigRed]

I only have one horse, so I buy 20kg bags. It comes from the same supplier. Seed Rye Grass. The first cut bags seem to be "wetter". The second cut product seems to be drier. I feed my mare 8kg of haylage per night. The Marksway Horsehage people tell you to feed the same weight haylage as you would have fed hay. You may be able to cut the hard feed down because it is more nutritious.

I understand that once unwrapped it should really be used in 5-7 days depending on how cold the weather is.

You need to weigh your current hay nets and then double it for 2 horses, then you know how much you will roughly use a day, then buy a suitable size bale, it comes in all sorts of different sizes.

 

[cptrayes]

I feed it ad lib and a 200-220kg bale will last 2 horses 2 weeks. I've never had a problem with it going off. I prefer a meadow haylage with different grasses in it because I think it's better for them than ryegrass alone. Wet or dry (my current lot is more like hay than haylage) mine eat it in large volumes with no problems.