foggage / living hay?

[Jericho]

There has been lots of debate on here recently about barefoot/laminitis/grazing etc and I have recently heard the term foggage which I think refers to very long grass that is basically 'living hay' - dry and stalking rather than lush. If left to grow my pasture become very weedy and then stalky with more of the rank broad bladed grass than cow pasture... (and its certainly not good enough to use for hay!)

Does anyone know anymore about this foggage? How long does grass have to be before it becomes like this? I have sectioned my fields off and leaving my two on about 1.5 acres of very sparse unfertilised grazing (both are natives/fatties/ 1 prone to lami) and letting the other 2.5 acres grow for winter. At what point can I turn them out on the long grass without too much fear of laminitis? Will frost affect this type of long grass too? When does the grass lose most of its nutrition, if at all?

I find it frustratng that I have 4 acres and more than enough grass to feed my two free of charge but instead most of it goes unused and I have to feed expensive hay so I want to manage my grass better. Does anyone feel the same way??!? Of course if keepijng them off the grass and giving hay is what I need to do then I will do it but I am sure there is a better way..... Have even been thinking about the track system as well

 

[FlorenceBassey]

Sorry but what's 'foggage' do yo mean Forage?? Or is this something new that's been developed??

 

[rosie fronfelen]

its aftermath that been allowed to grow out of hand. rather a waste of good forage actually. having 2 lami. ponies i wouldn't turn them on there,but its your choice.

 

[Nettle123]

We have 11 acres of ground and only 3 good doer cobs and a few sheep. Up until around 5 years ago we used to make hay on half of it but then it became more and more difficult to find a contractor to do the hay for us.

The hay area is now left until around the end of October when the boys are turned loose on it. They do very well over the winter on this rough stalky stuff. I rarely give them any hay as they tend to nibble at it then go back on to grazing.

I have bought hay in for this winter as we have a mare and foal and a few of our sheep are OAP's now but I would be surprised if the cobs didn't cope very well on the foggage again even though they are all in their late teens

 

[appylass]

I have left about an acre as foggage this year, I hope it will feed my lami prone ponies into winter so that I can buy less hay. It is ideal for them as they move around finding the 'best' bits rather than standing still stuffing themselves with hay. If it works as well as I hope I will be leaving more next year!

 

[s4sugar]

The farmer next to my last house used to use this.
He just cut it and fed it it same day. Used a finger bar cutter and had a picker upper that dropped it loose into a trailer. He would even cut when snow was laying on it.

I would suggest you get some hay or haylage in as well as a back up.

 

[touchstone]

I've used foggage in the past and intend to again this year. I have a laminitic and use a track system around the perimeter of the field, although I've had to make it a short section at the moment as she has gone footy again.

I would say though that you still need to be careful with foggage, I still strip graze on it to control intake and it can get quite fresh spurts of growth where it has been grazed if the weather turns mild.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I know it as missel (sp) and yes, I did it last year. However, up here there is no new growth after November so it's safe to feed to my lot although I'd advise caution with a lammi prone horse/pony. up here there is really nothing in the grass by the new year and new growth doesnt start until May but obviously if you are down south it's different.