Hay Vs Haylage

[You Wont Forget Me]

Firstly how much do you pay for a big round bale of hay??
How much for a big bale of Haylage??

Which do you use and why???

Whats best?

Im currently on haylage but tbf its rubbish quality! Thinking about changing to hay as my boy is on a v v v strick diet so really needs to cut down on sugars ect...

Advice much appreciated!

 

[VioletStripe]

Can't tell you about pricing as I'm on full livery, so hay and feed is included in all of that!

But, my boy's on hay as it's lower in sugar, and luckily for me it's less expensive as we have to pay extra for haylage! He's only on hay as he's a connie so retains his weight quite well and he suits this well.

As for what's best, it completely depends on the horse. Haylage as I understand it is higher in sugar than hay, so if your horse is a good doer and on a restricted diet, hay is usually preferable! Haylage is less dusty than hay, though hay can be soaked to reduce dust, but that does reduce some of the nutritional value.. xx

 

[SavingGrace]

My girl will be going onto Hay again this winter... I am still trying to get the weight off her that she put on last winter... This winter it will be diet diet diet (for both of us)

 

[Miss L Toe]

Last year hay was more expensive than haylage, but I suspect this was because the haylage was supplied by two old guys, who were quite happy to potter about all day distributing the stuff and having a jolly good gossip at the same time. It was £35 delivered, and that had been the same for the last three years. Hay was more difficult to get, so the vendor asked for a more realistic price. It went up from £25 to £40.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Well I am currently paying 40 quid for a large round which is lasting us about 4 weeks at the with one on box rest and 4 lami ponies getting fed in the field.

Ponies are going and one on box rest will be going back out so hoping this bale will be my last until its haylege time as i only pay £25 for a large of haylege that does two horses for about 3/4 weeks

 

[mturnbull]

Although cant help with prices if your boy needs to be on a strict diet I can sympathise as when my horse came down with laminitis (due to stress not weight related) he still had to go on a strict diet and box rest. He was put on one haynet a day of soaked hay and to allow this one haynet to last him all day we put a small holed haynet inside another small holed haynet to make even smaller holes in a haynet and although looked slightly frustrating for me he seemed quite happy to pick away at it!