Haylage.........advice needed.

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wildflower

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Hi guys...........never personally used haylage before.We have a few acres going spare so decieded to make our own this year .Have always fed hay before.Any how got 12 large bales off some lovely grass towards the end of september so it was the last cut and slightly damper than I would have liked due to heavy rain fall that month:rolleyes:.So fast forward ...we have 3 welshies a secb and 2 sec d,s.They are out 7.00am till 4.00pm and fed hay and a nice chaff tea when they come in.However its costing me a fortune in hay at the moment.I had planned to sell the bales of haylage but have now decieded to put the 2 sec d,s on it, as they trough the most.Have moved a bale into the covered bit in the yard and opened it up.It is very juicy /damp and rich.:o..........And theres a couple of spots on top with white mould.I plan to gradualy mix it in with the hay for the big guys this week.I really just need top tips on how you guys store yours, when to tell if its gone off.How long can a big bale be expected to last.Obviously I,ll pull out any dodgy mouldy bits....any info you have would be great.........can this stuff give them colic even :eek:........the sec ds have been on haylage before in past homes .
 
White is okay. Throw the bale if there is black mould though.
When unwrapped use fairly quickly (weather dependant). In cold can easily last a month. Now is lasting a couple of weeks for us our in field and in warm weather lasts days.
Personally I wouldn't feed alone. Feed with hay on the side and it stops it going straight through them as you've said you will.
I store outside til open them in barn if feeding in sections. Unwrap whole bale.
I know immediately when it's on the turn as smells like it's dying - not the normal very sweet smell.
 
You really need to open it fully so that it dries rather than stays damp and heats up, let the air get to it and it will last longer, it will go off quicker when warm, feed as you said by introducing gradually and you should be fine. Keep an eye on it and if it starts to look mouldy throw it out, it is very hard to just remove the spoilt parts safely, the white areas are probably just yeast which is not mould and although I dont feed it it is easy to just take off.
 
Introduce it slowly as they will love the stuff and gorge on it. Too much will give them the trots.

The white is yeast and the patches will go through into the inside of the bale, just peel it off and discard. It won't hurt them but best not to feed it to them. Any black or blue areas must be thrown away.

The temperature will have an impact on how long the bale stays good for. The colder the better. Only having 3 natives to feed you may have some waste whilst the weather is so mild. The forecast says cold weather is due from Thursday.

You might find the ponies are a bit rocket propelled with the extra energy the haylage might give them. Colic is a risk when any diferent feed or routines are introduced, hence the need to think ahead and do everything slowly.
 
Thanks guys, have unwrapped top and bottom, but will remove all wrapping.I,ll go slow introducing it this week.The secb isn,t getting any though..........she already goes like a rocket and needs no more fuel:D.Your advice is much appreciated thankyou x
 
It sounds contrary to what you would expect, but haylage usually has less sugar than hay because it ferments rather like alcohol, hence the slightly sweet/sour smell you get as you open it. The white stuff is sugar and is fine to feed in theory, although often they don't like haylage when it is all clumped together. I let mine pick through it and they discard the bits they don't like.

You are right to ration it, as it does go through them, especially when you first change onto it, but usually their stomachs get used to it and I feed haylage ad lib to most of mine, even the smaller ones.

If it's very damp and smells strongly when I open the bale, I spread some out and let it air for a day or so, and they seem to like it more.
 
I've been making my own for about 3 years now, although didn't this year due weather. It should be baled 'a day before hay' in which case it will last for ages. As for the mould, I used to throw so many bales (about half) due to the white mould but now farmer runs in bales in the week I have discovered they actually like it and on research it is yeast and unharmful. However agree that black mould should be removed/bale chucked.

I had always thought they wouldn't eat this but had a bad bale the other day and by the time I realised (bad bit at bottom of feeder), they had gorged on it too. None the worse though. I do roll out wet small bales but doubt you'll manage a wet big one but if you can the that's a good advice too.
 
We have a field shelter that we had doors made for, and we put pallets for flooring, and roll them inside. I have two big ISH, and they struggle to get through a wet haylage bale without it going off, if it is a dry bale of more hay type, it lasts them up to ten days.

Definately take the bottom of the wrapper off too - it seems to go off much quicker if sitting on its wrapper. I find you need to keep it out of weather, but with a bit of air round it.

ps. We have found if the bale is going, the horses don't like it from a net, but if we dump the whole bale out on the turnout area they pick through it and find good bits!
 
OOOH ......really interesting reading this.Took out a large barrowfull and pulled it apart to fluff it up and air it.When I gave it to them later it was drier and smelled like popcorn.Have taken out another barrowfull for them for tomorrow night so it dries out a bit more.They are busy chomping on it now looking very happy.It looks very delicious mixed in with the hay :p.Something strangely satifying about making ones own haylage lol:D
 
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