Feeding Haylage to a good doer?

[Jingleballs]

We're having problems getting hay in my area but Y/O has managed to get some haylage.

I've never fed my cob haylage as I worry that it will put too much weight on him although his previous owner fed it so I know that he doesn't get silly on it.

It would only be temporary until we could get some hay and he's living out at the moment so he'd only have a small net while he's in to be exercised or out at a show.

His weight is perfect at the moment and I'm just worried that switching to haylage could cause him to balloon - does anyone know if this is likely to happen or if fed in such small infrequent quantities it won't make one bit of difference?

 

[elr468]

It would prob be fine if he is not already on really rich grazing. Esp if hes only eating it for short periods and he is being exercised regularly

 

[gummybear]

Im sure he would be fine - just remember that you dont have to give a much haylage as you would hay. I always weigh my haylage so that I know exactly what my horse is getting - and also worth investing (if you havent already) in a haylage net, much smaller holes so that it lasts longer.

 

[NewyddP]

Re: not giving as much haylage as you would hay....you actually have to give more haylage than hay in order to match the nutrients. People think that because its heavier then you feed less but its acutally a huge amount of water that weighs so much.

Yes its higher in sugar than hay but to meet your horses requirements you need to feed more haylage than hay. Obviously since this is his not his main food source at the moment then it will not be too much of a concern and he should be fine with a small haynet for grooming etc.

 

[jaynedoc]

I wouldn't...

Good doers are prone to laminitis as they over eat as we know.

True that careful management of a good doer means that horse will not get laminitis ..
it's just that I have a good doer too and I go by what the laminitis trust says and they say not to feed haylage.

I just wouldn't want to run the risk of an attack of lami in a good doer.

 

[Hedgehunter]

Yes its higher in sugar than hay but to meet your horses requirements you need to feed more haylage than hay. Obviously since this is his not his main food source at the moment then it will not be too much of a concern and he should be fine with a small haynet for grooming etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

Haylage is actually lower in sugar than hay, as the sugars have been fermented during the first month or so after it had been wrapped. Pure ryegrass hay is much hugher in sugar than pure ryegrass haylage. You need to feed more haylage to match the fibre intake of hay rather than the nutrient balance. The only way of knowing how 'powerful' the haylage is, is to have it analysed. Dodson and Horrel will do a sample for about a fiver.

regards

HH