Haylage question

[millyspaniel]

Currently using 2 bales of hay per day btween 3 ponies and a TB, one of the ponies went this afternoon so its 2 ponies and one tb, thinking of changing them to haylage so i can open it up and let them pick when they want. The haylage i have seen was cut just one day before the hay (meadoww hy lovely quality) therefore the haylage is rather dry. Now, do i need to introduce it slowly and with hay or can i just open it out for them with it being very dry??
Also do you think i will get 1 week out of a massive haylage bale - currently going through 14 hay every 7 days

thats putting 1 bale out at 930am and another out at 4pm,,,,,,,,in the morning its always gone but in the afternoon they still have alot over (and are often grazing instaed) thanks

 

[JamesEarwaker]

Between 2 horses, 1 haylage bale (talking big square) should last them a week, as you say they will eat a fair bit overnite but would rather graze in the day so when you chuck out in a morning for them to feed on in the day dont chuck as much out, i no everyone tries not to waste it but after its been out they wont eat it, will go straight for the fresh.

 

[millyspaniel]

It comes in large slices - its big but square not round.
I got a round one a while back, it was horrible! more like silage and full of mould

 

[BigRed]

The problem with massive haylage bales, is that you have to move them - do you have a machine to do this for you ? And the length of time it will last will depend on just how massive it is.

 

[millyspaniel]

No machine, but where they are its not too far to carry sections of it across to them, its sliced to make it easier

 

[teddyt]

You need to change over gradually, as with any feed. Preferably over at least 7 days.

And although it seems dry, haylage has a higher water content than hay. So unless you have it analysed to tell the exact dry matter, in terms of quantity it is hard to compare. e.g. if haylage is 50% dry matter you would need to feed half as much again by weight as hay for the horses to get the same amount of fibre.

 

[PennyJ]

Not the pukka way of doing it I know, but due to space/lack of storage issues, I had large round bale of haylage dropped in field. To be quite honest, they thought they'd died and gone to heaven. It's lasted 2 greedy NF ponies (in hard work) 10 days and has not gone "off", it's nearly all gone now. It cost me £30 and was instead of the 5 bales Devon Haylage (£30) and the 5 bales hay (£17.50) that they would have got through in the same time. I shall definitely be getting another one delivered this week.