Haylage and poos

[Surbie]

Hey all,
My horse coughs on dry hay so I've been soaking it. However it's difficult to soak hay on the new yard I'm on, so I thought switching to haylage might work. I've even managed to source some timothy.

I'm on day 3 of a hay/haylage mix (mostly hay) and his poos have started geting squitty. A couple are cowpats. Is this normal? Could it also be grass/new place/heat related?

He's been on haylage before, but 3.5 years ago, for the same reason. Otherwise perky as normal.

 

[Casey76]

It can take a little time for the gut micro flora to adapt moving from hay to haylage. Feeding a probiotic may help.

Also, if it’s a recent move, the stress of moving can also cause mild stomach imbalances, partially due to stress and partially due to new grass.

 

[Surbie]

Thanks so much - it's been 2 yard moves in 6 months, which I really didn't want to do but the other place just wasn't working out. I was hoping the fact he already knows & has been turned out with most of the horses in his new field would help him settle quickly.

Will stick some probiotic in. Thanks!

 

[PurBee]

Well done for finding timothy haylage...Thats as rare as hens teeth in ireland!

The lactic acid levels are higher in haylage due to fermentation so will change bowel flora causing softer poops...except my mare...she can eat absolutely anything and nothing changes her poops..an anomoly...a tank-like stomach!....the gelding shows me when the food is different to normal through softer poops.

I literally change them over to haylage very slowly having done it too quickly in the past. So, say theyre on 8kg a day hay...day 1 ill give 7kg hay/1kg haylage...that for 2 days. Then day 3 theyll handle 2kg haylage/6kg hay. Day 5 3kg haylage etc. By end of week theyll be on 50/50...and week 2 scale up to 100’% haylage. Bowels adjust slowly...poops adjust better.

I’ve found over the years that they do much better weightwise/gut-wise/foot-wise on ‘hi-fibre rygrass haylage’ than just generic ryegrass haylage. Hi-fibre stuff is cut later, so higher fibre levels, lower sugars/proteins. The haylage market is dominated with ryegrass so just giving you a heads-up of what type of ryegrass is better/less rich for them if you find yourself with difficulty sourcing timothy/mixed haylage and have to resort to ryegrass.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hey all,
My horse coughs on dry hay so I've been soaking it. However it's difficult to soak hay on the new yard I'm on, so I thought switching to haylage might work. I've even managed to source some timothy.

I'm on day 3 of a hay/haylage mix (mostly hay) and his poos have started geting squitty. A couple are cowpats. Is this normal? Could it also be grass/new place/heat related?

He's been on haylage before, but 3.5 years ago, for the same reason. Otherwise perky as normal.

I would say grass is more likely to cause squitty than the haylage

 

[Surbie]

Well done for finding timothy haylage...Thats as rare as hens teeth in ireland!

We have to get everything through the yard, so my YO found it for me. I am pretty impressed tbh! Thank you so much for the detailed reply, much appreciated and I'll bear that in mind about the ryegrass. I've reduced the haylage in the mix tonight and he ate his protexin this time. Good Boy.

I would say grass is more likely to cause squitty than the haylage

It may be, but we've been here a week and a half and squitlings only appeared in the last few days when haylage was added. That said it did bucket down on Friday and the grass has been growing furiously so who knows. Horse did NOT want to leave the field today!

 

[Goldenstar]

There’s much more Timothy haylage available now it’s what I feed mine .
I have a friends pony here atm on box rest he’s on moles hi fibre haylage now that’s not very palatable and that’s a good thing he picks at it slowly he needs to be hungry to eat it .
Most of the time haylage is too palatable they eat it too quickly .

 

[Melandmary]

I am using that one for my fatty and she absolutely loves it compared to soaked hay and I have always found her fussy ? so I am double netting it a d adding oat straw... She does leave the straw unless very hungry. She is losing weight nicely on that whilst being muzzled through the day

 

[Surbie]

Fewer squitty poos today, which is great. ?

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

also try some Naf Pink powder, as it is great for squitty bums.

 

[L&M]

My cob always gets the squits on haylage at the beginning of the winter stabling period. Takes around 3 weeks to settle.

 

[motherof2beasts!]

Mine has the squits on haylage too, sadly his doesn’t adjust and he has the squits all winter. Had vet out blood tests etc and nothing untoward going on , he can’t have hay due to allergies , even shelled out for a steamer but still couldn’t have it.