Haylage - Frankly the Situation is getting me down.

Stelzar

Stelzar

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I don't know what to do, I am on a yard situated just behind a feed merchant and I hate the haylage they provide, it smells awful and in my mind is very wet.

I broached the subject and said I would be getting my haylage from an outside supplier (thank you very much) I got shot down very quickly with the supplier saying I would contaminate his fields and said that I am not allowed, I am not used to be dictated to on what I can and can't feed my horses they are used to lovely sweet smelling rye grass haylage.

Its making me miserable as I don't want to feed my horses stinking wet haylage I'm worried it will affect there long term health, but don't really know anywhere local to move to and by any circumstance I don't want to upset local feed merchant.

Help what do I do?....
 
That is a hard one. could you not tell them its lovely but your horses are silly and just don't like it??

To be honest if it is causing you such a worry I would look to find another yard. I know how hard it is to find a suitable yard I moved 8 times in less years. Finally have been at current one 4 years. No yard is perfect so you need to decide what you are willing to compromise on and what your not.

The other option is to leave the haylage to dry out a little before feeding it?

Is it just the haylage or are there other things about the yard that you don't like?
 
I'd be looking for another yard tbh I'm afraid.:(

Some of the commercial haylages are guarenteed eg. Marksway so no ragwort etc. contamination can be a problem. What contamination is he worried about?

Sounds more like silage to me tbh. Haylage should have a moisture content of between 40-50% when baled I believe.
 
There are a few gripes about the yard, the school is only very small and when I get my business up and running I very much doubt they will let me run it from there even though my advertising will bring more people into the feed merchant they probably won't see it like that.

The other liveries are LOVELY thats one of the main reasons I don't want to leave there such a nice bunch and we all muck in together to get everything done that is why I am reluctant to leave.

The small bales have now gone up to £6 and the big round bales of hay they want £60 my horses go through 1 to 2 bales a day of small haylage and not paying £60 for hay, so I am reluctant to buy any of what the produce as I know for a fact they mark up there prices 100%!
 
Stelzar said:
There are a few gripes about the yard, the school is only very small and when I get my business up and running I very much doubt they will let me run it from there even though my advertising will bring more people into the feed merchant they probably won't see it like that.

The other liveries are LOVELY thats one of the main reasons I don't want to leave there such a nice bunch and we all muck in together to get everything done that is why I am reluctant to leave.

The small bales have now gone up to £6 and the big round bales of hay they want £60 my horses go through 1 to 2 bales a day of small haylage and not paying £60 for hay, so I am reluctant to buy any of what the produce as I know for a fact they mark up there prices 100%!
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£60!!!!???? OMLGG! When you say it smells bad- what exactly does it smell like? Gotta say if those are your only options I would probably seriously consider moving. Poor you :(
 
I can't explain the smell, it smells pungent and sticks to your clothes, I am so worried it will have a long term affect. I think I am going to look for a new yard as soon as, as I am really worried it will affect there health.

I was thinking about going to trading standards as they are selling a product that is really not fit for purpose.

Its just a stupid thing to leave a yard when it could be so simply rectified with letting me get my own supply! If my horses weren't eating the stuff It would be fine! grrrrrrr
 
I would be very worried anout any dodgy smelling/very wet haylage this year. My local farmer is honest and although he started out making haylage he is now selling it as silage as the quality is just not good enough for horses.
Some haylage I have seen this year does look more like silage and I would be concerned over future health problems, hence why I am sticking with hay!

Can you get hay on the yard? Maybe using an excuse that your horses do not like the haylage? Have a look at home made steamers - makes the hay smell and look so much better than haylage!!
 
Hey lilaclomax,

My problem is small bales of hay are £5.70 and big round bales are £60.00 I can't get from any other supplier as my horses live on a Feed Merchants yard who won't allow me to get from elsewhere where I could get a large round bale for £25.

ITS A JOKE!
 
Get the haylage tested by a feed company to see what is in it. They can tell you if it is safe to use. If it is and they are eating it i wouldnt worry. The price of hay is £60 a bale round here also and in very short supply. its a nightmare!
 
Stelzar said:
Hey lilaclomax,

My problem is small bales of hay are £5.70 and big round bales are £60.00 I can't get from any other supplier as my horses live on a Feed Merchants yard who won't allow me to get from elsewhere where I could get a large round bale for £25.

ITS A JOKE!
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It is all business now for farmers etc.. the more £££ the better in their eyes :(

How much do the hay bales weigh compared to the haylage bales? (I took my household scales down to weigh our hay, stood on by myself and then with a bale so my friend could see the difference!)

Our hay bales weigh 25-28kg and the average haylage is 20kg a bag, plus you would feed more haylage so the hay could work out cheaper (depending on the quality of course)
 
I'd send off a bit of your bale for testing to an outside company, as it would be a shame to leave the yard at the moment if this is the only problem with it.

I'm assuming that your horses are happy eating the stuff? And so are the other livery horses?

Broach the subject of your new business idea once this worry is out the way.
 
I would love to move but due to re-location I haven't started work yet and don't have a horse box as ideal as this sounds it costs money to move horses every couple of months.

I think I will do as China says and send a sample off to a feed supplier to see whether it is suitable then at least I have a come back of why NOT to feed it to my horses if there if it is going to affect there health.

All your advise is very much appreciated, thank you all for your comments.
 
No one should be bullied into using unsuitable feed. Your horse might get ill. Afraid if being forced into feeding what sounds like silage I would be off. The contamination thing is just to make it sound like its not about £s!
 
Clearly the long term solution is to get the hay tested/look for new yard.

However in the short term, how does your horse feel about the haylage. Is he eating it normally, or is he eating it out of desperation. If it is truly affecting his health you have no option but to take the owner on but ....

an option would be to feed him large amounts of a 'hay replacement' feed and less of the haylage.

There are so many feed companies out there that would give you advice, but for example I use 'Simple System' and would maybe feed 2 huge feeds of grass nuts and their chaff (they will pick rather than eat it all at once as it is relatively boring food), so the horse is less reliant on the haylage.

Good luck
 
did you know you couldn't bring in forage? when you moved there, no different to only being able eat food bought elsewhere in a restaurant, business policy and prorecting weed spread esp ragwort, thistles and nettles.
 
I'm also on a yard where our haylage is pretty wet - but probably not as bad as OPs. I thought my horses weren't eating much of it and was worried about them, however it just seems to be really rich, so they're not eating quite so much of it. I free lunged my gelding this morning who is almost 21, and to be honest, I have never ever seen him looking this good at this time of year, since I bought him at the age of 12. Sometimes what we think is ropy is sometimes not so bad. My sick mare who has been skinny and ill since last June is now getting to the point of overweight on it....I do sympathise as I look at our haylage and think OMG, but to be honest, if they're fat and happy, then I will put up with it. Sometimes, I will mix a section of hay in with it, but they still eat both....maybe get it analysed and see what the outcome is.
 
Unfortunately I wasn't informed when I moved to the yard that I couldn't bring in my own supplies of Haylage etc, was extreemly dissapointed as I had found good quality haylage elsewhere that I was minutes away from bulk odering. I have never been dictated to on what I can and can't feed my horses, they are still young and am worried about the affects it may have on there health - for sure I am definately going to send off a sample to be examined, however I feel I am going to move yards anyway as I won't be treated like an idiot.

My horses look very well they are indeed eating it, they get a high forage diet anyway and are fed twice daily and are turned out in a field that does have grass still in it so they only get minimal of this haylage a night as I am petrified they might colic or be ill on it.

rabatsa.....

Could you tell me some more on this subject... I never knew that interesting point!
 
your horses, your money his yard if relationship not working move, then you can feed bought in forage, but as you say horses are fine so are you worring for nothing.
 
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