Feeding last years haylage...

[Sarah1]

...is it safe to do this?

We've just found out our hay is going to be hit & miss this year due to poor crops but the same supplier sells haylage. He has some of last years & I thought about getting some for Bailey but am not sure if it's still ok to feed it? I was thinking last years rather than this as haylage all winter will send him a bit loopy so my thinking is the old stuff won't be as rich?
Also if it's big bale haylage how long, once it's opened, before it goes off (last years cut)?

Thanks

 

[Maesfen]

If it was safe last year then it should be safe this year as long as the bags haven't been ripped.
Once open it's better to take off all wrapping then it will just dry out slowly to be more like hay and still be safe to eat but if you try to keep it wrapped and only take out what you need, then it is very likely to go sour and mouldy. That applies to any haylage, not just old stuff.

 

[Sarah1]

Right, so if I take all the wrapping off it'll be safe for 2-3 weeks while he eats it all?
Will last years haylage be better to feed than this years nutrition wise/as regards sending him a bit loopy?
Sorry to be so slow & thanks for you reply it was very helpful!

 

[BigBird146]

I think you can soak it for a bit (like you would hay) to leach out some of the nutrients. Give it a few hours.

 

[Maesfen]

[ QUOTE ]
Right, so if I take all the wrapping off it'll be safe for 2-3 weeks while he eats it all?
Will last years haylage be better to feed than this years nutrition wise/as regards sending him a bit loopy?
Sorry to be so slow & thanks for you reply it was very helpful!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, should be totally safe, it will just dry out more to be like soft hay. I think if you soaked it a bit it would leach out any nutrients but at that age, it shouldn't need much of that, if at all.

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

[ QUOTE ]
Right, so if I take all the wrapping off it'll be safe for 2-3 weeks while he eats it all?
Will last years haylage be better to feed than this years nutrition wise/as regards sending him a bit loopy?
Sorry to be so slow & thanks for you reply it was very helpful!

[/ QUOTE ]
I was always told that once haylage is opened it should be used with 7 days - 10 max?

 

[minesadouble]

Depends on the weather really - haylage will go off within days in the summer but the colder the weather the longer it keeps.