Hay v Haylage - pros & cons please

[sultana]

my new horse has settled in nicely. I am currently feeding ad lib hay when she isn't turned out. But am wondering about the benefits of feeding haylage.
please could I have your opinions on which you like the best and why.
thanks

 

[Red-1]

Best hay is best IMO, but more often than not best hay (as in well made and stored -relatively dust free) is not available.

If your horse has a dust allergy then haylage prevents you having to soak. Soaking is a PITA, it drips down you when you tie up the net, the water has to be disposed of, it is just harder work.

Haylage tends to be more expensive anyway, and unless you have a few horses you have to buy small bales, which works out very expensive. With hay, if you have storage, you can buy big bales, which is much cheaper, even if you only have 1 horse.

Often with haylage you have to restrict to very small amounts (both to keep waistlines and cost down) which is no good for horses who suffer ulcers.

Some horses find haylage too rich. This can lead to runny droppings or ridden silliness.

 

[YorksG]

Pretty much agree with Red-1, We have large bale hay delivered weekly and store it on it's side in the yard, but we do feed four, we cover with tarp if it's wet and much prefer it to haylage. We feed ad-lib hay and ours d better than when we fed haylage, which we had to restrict.

 

[PolarSkye]

my new horse has settled in nicely. I am currently feeding ad lib hay when she isn't turned out. But am wondering about the benefits of feeding haylage.
please could I have your opinions on which you like the best and why.
thanks

Tell us about her again? What breed, what body score/condition is she in? What work does she do and how much of it? How much turnout/stabling? What else is she fed?

The pros are that for horses in harder work, it gives the horse access to more digestible energy (so, in theory, you can feed less). It's much less dusty than hay - shouldn't be dusty at all. Doesn't need soaking because it doesn't contain the same high levels of water-soluble sugars as hay.

The cons are that because it contains more moisture, it goes off quicker - particularly in warmer weather and once wet turns very quickly. More digestible energy may not be good for fizzy or sharp horses - but every bale of haylage is different - as is every horse.

I feed mine haylage in winter because he drops condition - but now that he's retired, I'll be waiting to see if he needs it, or whether he can stay on ad lib hay. The last thing I need is him behaving like a kite on the end of a string because he has energy to burn and nowhere to direct it!

P

 

[be positive]

I use big bale haylage for mine, it is fairly dry not too rich made from meadow grass, I have had no problems with feeding it ad lib to any horse, the ponies may have to be restricted in some way but for me it is easier than hay as there is no soaking, it works out much the same pricewise, if I had to use small bales then it would be financially crippling and the livery costs would have to increase beyond what most would be happy to pay.

 

[MuddyTB]

I use big bale haylage for mine, it is fairly dry not too rich made from meadow grass, I have had no problems with feeding it ad lib to any horse, the ponies may have to be restricted in some way but for me it is easier than hay as there is no soaking, it works out much the same pricewise, if I had to use small bales then it would be financially crippling and the livery costs would have to increase beyond what most would be happy to pay.

Same here.
Although our haylage is quite dry it will still go off much quicker than hay once opened. To use big bale haylage it's best to have several horses sharing a bale to use it quickly enough. Big bale hay or haylage works out a lot cheaper than small though.

 

[cobgoblin]

I use big bale haylage for mine, it is fairly dry not too rich made from meadow grass, I have had no problems with feeding it ad lib to any horse, the ponies may have to be restricted in some way but for me it is easier than hay as there is no soaking, it works out much the same pricewise, if I had to use small bales then it would be financially crippling and the livery costs would have to increase beyond what most would be happy to pay.

Same here, except I use small bale meadow during the summer months as I'd never get through a big bale.
Never had them fizz up on Haylage but they have had loose droppings on moist ryegrass Haylage.
I used to use hay but it became impossible to buy decent stuff. It always stored badly and was incredibly dusty. I haven't seen really good hay for years now.
Haylage is more expensive but far more convenient, easier to store and less wasteful.

 

[Annagain]

Our yard provides haylage in winter as part of the livery price (an extra £15 a week while they're in over night) so that's why I feed it to be honest. I find it much easier than having to soak hay, especially as I use a hay bar. We don't restrict it as both and my share horse and my horse are big boys who need plenty to eat. Mine never changes weight wise and my share horse loses a bit of weight in winter, even on the haylage. Despite being 17hh he never eats much haylage especially early in winter when there's still some grass around and then again in spring. We know when he's ready to go out as he stops eating haylage.

My share horse has been on box rest this summer so I've had to buy hay in. It was lovely hay and he seemed to much prefer it. He was wolfing the hay down despite having a small paddock with sufficient grass to go out into during the day.

I have to have the haylage though as it's part of the deal. I have asked YO whether they'd consider making a small amount of hay but they'd struggle to store it. At least with haylage you can store it outdoors until you open it.

 

[PorkChop]

Good hay is the best imo but difficult to get hold off.

Haylage has the advantage of being dust free, and is very convenient.

 

[Clodagh]

We made haylage one year, as we cut our meadows (unfertilised, proper old ley) in late July, as usual, and it peed down. The result was lovely, nearly dry so more hayish really but the horses ate it all winter, needed no hard feed and looked great. It is too expensive to make really though so I am back on hay off the same meadows, which is lovely hay bbut not quite as lovely as the same haylage!