Haylage and EMS

[Widgeon]

Just had blood results back and my little horse most likely has EMS. A bit of a shock but at least I can stop feeling quite so guilty about the way he piles weight on as soon as his workload dips.

Obviously I will re-think his grazing arrangements, but one slight complication is that he has a dust allergy of some sort, which means all hay he gets must be soaked. Up to now he only has hay in winter (he's out 24/7 so in summer he just eats grass) and I'm already pretty religious about soaking that as it's such a great way to get weight off him. However soaking hay in summer is a nightmare, particularly with the heat we now get sometimes. It just goes off instantly.

Given that I'm going to have to restrict his grass intake in spring / summer / autumn, is there any sort of low-calorie haylage I could feed on a regular basis when soaked hay isn't feasible? Ideally something that isn't going to cost a small fortune. I'm open to any suggestions that are low-calorie, cheap(ish) and won't set his cough off.

I did Google but of course most of the results are just feed companies trying to promote their products. I just can't quite face soaking hay year round every day for the rest of his life!

 

[ycbm]

Low calorie and low cost haylage is a very big ask. You can buy low calorie small pack Timothy or ryegrass, but small pack isn't cheap.

I'm confused why you have trouble soaking hay in a hot summer, the stables I was at have been doing it with no issues, soaking all day. I absolutely get your desire not to soak stuff all the time, I find it a right pain.

Have you thought about feeding straw? Cheaper and low calories, perhaps mix it with haylage. You can wet it easier than hay because it's looser if it was made dry enough.
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[Widgeon]

Low calorie and low cost haylage is a very big ask. You can buy low calorie small pack Timothy or ryegrass, but small pack isn't cheap. .

Agreed, I suppose "low cost" is relative isn't it. At the moment I use haylage for nets for travelling etc - situations where soaked hay would be a real pain and messy. I'll probably stick with the one I buy already then, it's designed for fatties and isn't expensive. https://www.themilefarmshop.co.uk/skerne-leys-traditional-haylage-20kg-5901/

I'm confused why you have trouble soaking hay in a hot summer, the stables I was at have been doing it with no issues, soaking all day. I absolutely get your desire not to soak stuff all the time, I find it a right pain. .

I soak it in a bath full of water, but that's outside, and it gets sun. The hay ended up slimy and smelling bad within a few hours (I tried it on a weekend). I should probably try moving the bath to a more shady spot - if other people manage soaking in summer without problems then it must be possible. In the winter I can soak for 24 hours which is great, as my horse is on assisted DIY so I only have to go up once per day. I soak for 24 hours, drain on a pallet for another 24, then feed. Works really well in the winter and the hay stays nice. I'll have to figure out a summer plan, but if other people manage it then clearly it's doable. Thanks!

Have you thought about feeding straw? Cheaper and low calories, perhaps mix it with haylage..

Before he developed the dust issue I used to feed straw in the stable at night, and he liked that, so absolutely yes it seems like a good idea. My only worry is that unsoaked straw would set his cough off. Or is that a silly idea? Do you think he'd be less likely to cough on straw than on hay?

 

[Highmileagecob]

My cob cannot have hay at all due to respiratory allergies, and is probably EMS, according to the vet. I kept him in daily work, he had haylage ad lib, and wore a grazing muzzle in the summer 24/7. It kept everything under control and manageable. The situation has changed now though - he is fully retired, and dental challenges mean that the grazing muzzle cannot be used. Because he is no longer in work, digestive upsets are creeping in, and bouts of diarrhoea are noticed at random intervals. At rising 28, I'm doing the best I can for him.

 

[Highmileagecob]

I use the four string quadrant bales. If you open them at one end, take off what you need and wrap the bale tightly again, it will last three weeks in cold weather.

 

[Widgeon]

My cob cannot have hay at all due to respiratory allergies, and is probably EMS, according to the vet. I kept him in daily work, he had haylage ad lib, and wore a grazing muzzle in the summer 24/7. It kept everything under control and manageable. The situation has changed now though - he is fully retired, and dental challenges mean that the grazing muzzle cannot be used. Because he is no longer in work, digestive upsets are creeping in, and bouts of diarrhoea are noticed at random intervals. At rising 28, I'm doing the best I can for him.

Sorry to hear you've got such a tricky situation to manage, that sounds tough. Interesting that you managed to keep a probably-EMS horse in good shape on haylage alone - I had assumed that mine would turn into a whale on that diet! It sounds like you've done a brilliant job to get him to such a good age comfortable and a safe weight.

 

[Widgeon]

I use the four string quadrant bales. If you open them at one end, take off what you need and wrap the bale tightly again, it will last three weeks in cold weather.

If I use the standard haylage that the rest of the yard feed, spoiling isn't an issue - I'd just assumed he wouldn't be able to have that because it's too good. Nothing is straightforward with horses is it.

 

[ycbm]

I use the four string quadrant bales. If you open them at one end, take off what you need and wrap the bale tightly again, it will last three weeks in cold weather.

It shouldn't be necessary to rewrap haylage in winter and it's a really bad idea to do it in summer (which I know you didn't suggest). The advice I have always seen for haylage from manufacturers is not to rewrap because it can restart fermentation and cause mould.
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[ycbm]

Before he developed the dust issue I used to feed straw in the stable at night, and he liked that, so absolutely yes it seems like a good idea. My only worry is that unsoaked straw would set his cough off. Or is that a silly idea? Do you think he'd be less likely to cough on straw than on hay?

I do think good straw is less likely to cause a cough than hay because it's all fibrous stem, but you can wet it pretty easily.

 

[Widgeon]

I do think good straw is less likely to cause a cough than hay because it's all fibrous stem, but you can wet it pretty easily.

Thanks. That's a good point. No heads on it - I hadn't thought of that. I will definitely give it a go then, I'll try him on a mix of soaked hay and damp straw. I'll just have to find some straw that he likes - in the past he's shown a definite preference for one type over another, and he doesn't always choose the "better" quality straw, so I'll try him on our big bales of bedding straw first!

 

[Goldenstar]

I do think good straw is less likely to cause a cough than hay because it's all fibrous stem, but you can wet it pretty easily.

I was always taught that it’s extremely difficult to get straw that low in things that cause coughs .
It’s also typically sprayed with all sorts of things .

What you need OP is a haylege that is low palatability something like a late cut Timothy /fescue mix .

 

[Widgeon]

What you need OP is a haylege that is low palatability something like a late cut Timothy /fescue mix .

Thanks - that is helpful. I think I will phone the company I get the current bagged stuff from and see if they do bigger bales of timothy haylage.