Haylage help - running out of hay?

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almrc

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Hi All

Just wanted to pick your brains, I know nearly nothing about haylage so please bear with me! I have 3 horses living out. Due to the lack of grass growing in summer, hay is short down here anyway. Now due to all of this snow, hay is getting even scarcer! I have enough for the minute and the man that supplies me with hay has some he is saving for me.

However, I am just thinking ahead, what if we do run out completely of hay? I was thinking of feeding haylage, but I have 2 fairly good doers, and haylage is all new to me, I dont know much about it. Would it be suitable for them and how long would a small bale last 3 of them about (14.3 cob, 15.2 hackney x welsh cob and 14.2 TB x Hano and NF)? I know its more expensive, but any suggestions welcome :) just getting a bit worried!
 
not sure about the price where you are but haylage is actually cheaper than hay up in fife. This is due to the fact hay needs to be stored indoors/under cover and that the making of it take bit more effort eg have to let it dry and be baled in the dry where as haylage does not need to be left to dry for as long and once it is wrapped it can sit out.

A big round bale lasts about 3-5 days at ours. we have 5 horses but they in at night so really only getting haylage when they come in. I would say due to the situation (the possibility of running out of hay) haylage would be fine as its better to have something to eat. And I suppose if the weather is to continue the way it is a little extra weight on the beasts would be better especially if they are living out.

Hope this helps:)
 
I get big bales of haylage delivered at £34 per bale. I have 3 horses who are fed it 24/7 (very little winter grazing) and each bale lasts me about 10 days or so. Works out much cheaper than feeding hay for me and no having to soak it etc either.
 
This happened to us last year, we got more than enough hay for a usual winter, but last winter was hard and we ran out of hay, we had to go onto haylage from the local feed merchant, but we mixed it in with the hay we had left before we fed it to them on its own.
We've got four horses now and a small bale will last us about 3 or 4 days, with 2 horses getting it twice a day, and the other 2 getting it once. We are mixing it with hay though, so it lasts longer.
I would suggest buying now if you can, because when people start running out of hay it will be difficult to get hold of, we've already been told by our feed merchants to buy now, as its quickly going! If you buy in bulk you can usually get discount too :)
 
It sounds like it's going to be more of a question of what you can actually get your hands on....

I really like haylage - and have fed it to poor and good doers alike.

If it's available - buy a load to see you through the winter.
 
if you are feeding haylage remember that you can cut out a lot of the hard feed you would normally give them. so that eventually means it is cheaper to feed haylage than hay. how l,ong it lasts depends on the size of the haylage you are buying and whether your horses are getting mucg grass. My 16.2 TB had 8kg of haylage at night and she was on good grass during the day, she only had minimal hard feed.
 
Ahh I see thank you. So a small bale of haylage should last about 3 days for 3 of them, twice a day? Do I need to leave haylage out so there is some there constantly (like ab lib hay) or do you just give them a specific amount and when its gone, its gone?
 
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almrc said:
Ahh I see thank you. So a small bale of haylage should last about 3 days for 3 of them, twice a day? Do I need to leave haylage out so there is some there constantly (like ab lib hay) or do you just give them a specific amount and when its gone, its gone?
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What do you call a small bale? A 20kg bale of horsehage?

I have to warn you, my 16.2 can put away nearly 20kg of haylage in 24/7.

That said, I am a massive fan of haylage and far prefer it to plain hay.
 
I had four horses last year. 3 fat cobs and 1 skinny TB. I had the large round bales of haylage left in field. Mine live out so they had access to it 24/7 and it lasted 8 days. Cost me £40. At moment putting out small bales for them but i'm sure it does not last very long so going back onto haylage when my man can get it to me. Mine had no ill effects at all. If I had to put hay out that lasts 24/7 I think it would cost me a lot more than £40
 
pricklyflower said:
A small bale lasts me 1 day for a 16.2hh and 12.2hh feeding ab lib due to the weather (they're turned out 24/7) so think you will need more than 1 for 2/3 days for your 3!
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No probs, I just said that amount of days due to someone else mentioning it above-as I say, I have no idea hence why I am asking. I am hoping to get in some of the massive haylage bales if possible and keep them in reserve. How long will these last for if they are kept unopened?
 
With the big ones it depends on a few things, the weather, where they're stored, etc. Some people say they last 5 days, some say 10. I had 2 big horses and a pony on big bale haylage, feeding twice a day and I'd get through it in a week which was plenty enough time to use it before it went off. The big bales are more economical as long as you can use it all. The smaller bales, however, are easier to use!
 
I've had a big bale of haylage delivered from a local Farmer today to try. haylage over here can be silage really but this is nice and proper haylage. I've started all mine on it mixing with the hay they have been getting and have my fingers crossed as it's much cheaper, 27 euro for a big bale.
I've used various commercial brands of haylage intermittently in the past and don't tend to like some of them as horses seem to gain weight or get the runs but the horses love em all!
My sister has all hers on her home grown haylage including good doers and a laminintic and they're all fine and not getting fat.
I do think it's a bit like hay... it depends on the grass and how it's bagged etc.
 
pricklyflower said:
A small bale lasts me 1 day for a 16.2hh and 12.2hh feeding ab lib due to the weather (they're turned out 24/7) so think you will need more than 1 for 2/3 days for your 3!
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Agree with this. i feed small bales ad lib (horsehage) and a bale lasts me just over a day for two 15.2hh tbx's. (They still have grass so also graze)
Costwise, it works out about the same as hay up here. I prefer it as it is easier to store and I can collect a few bales with the car when I need to top up.

Feeding large round bales wouldn't work for me as it would start to go off before my two horses got through it.
Out of curiousity- for those saying a large bale lasts them 10days or so- i thought once opened, haylage had to be used within 5 days- do you find it keeps for that length of time- genuine question :)
 
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So how long would an unopened large bale last? Sorry if you have already answered this and I missed it - I'm having one of those days!
 
Unopened should last 6 months if no tears or holes in wrapping. I had a small bale blow last year. Feed shop said they would exchange it but opened it and it was finje. Saved me a trip to shop. Ask where you are getting your halage from they should be able to tell you.
 
almrc said:
So how long would an unopened large bale last? Sorry if you have already answered this and I missed it - I'm having one of those days!
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An unopened bale can last you ages - as in, till next winter!

An opened bale - well, it depends on the individual make/batch, but in this cold weather I've had bales opened for 2 1/2 before I've finished them and they've been fine :)

I pay £34 for a 220kg bale of top notch stuff.
 
charlyan said:
Out of curiousity- for those saying a large bale lasts them 10days or so- i thought once opened, haylage had to be used within 5 days- do you find it keeps for that length of time- genuine question :)
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Me too. I have six so keeping is not going to be a problem. I expect like many things... it depends. :)
 
Ideal - so last 2 questions (and I know it does depend) if I was feeding ab lib haylage, a big round bale, how long approx would this last the horses?

Last question:Approx how many small bales of haylage make up one big round bale of haylage?
 
I feed round bales of haylage 24/7 and have 2 15hh horses (one cobby thing, one TB). It lasts a week usually. I have not had any problems with it going off- particularly in the cold.

How many small bales to a large bale depends on the farmer! My hay man says he gets 10 small bales out of large one, but internet suggests should be more (so maybe my big bales are smallish?)

I pay £26 for a round bale of hay and £28 for haylage.

I cut all hard feed for my horse when he is on haylage and he competes/hunts most weekends no problem. It does work out cheaper for that.
 
A big bale of haylage... 4 large horses about 3 days in this weather.

My TB can eat one small bale of haylage a day easy. ~~That's another reason I don't buy commercial brands. :D
 
hi all

far prefer haylage to hay~~~no soaking,no coughing, and they eat every bit. however could not afford to feed small bale haylage~we get round bales delivered, one every 5 days and it works really well. all horses/ponies get ad lib this weather and it probably does save on hard feed. we have used same regular supplier for years and at £25 round bale delivered count ourselves really lucky in times of cold and shortage. couldnt bear to have to ration food this cold weather!!!!!
 
almrc said:
if I was feeding ab lib haylage, a big round bale, how long approx would this last the horses?
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A big round bale of haylage lasts our three horses 10 days (all 15.2ish).

We don't feed ad-lib, as all are good doers and we haven't had much snow here at all (fields are clear), but they are hayed in the fields morning and lunchtime, with good size nets at night.

Feeding ad-lib, I imagine it would last 5-6 days.

Hope this helps! :)
 
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