Haylage question ?

[mariebx19]

I am feeding my 2 cobs haylage for the first time.I bought the big round bale and have had it for around 2 weeks.When i got it i unwrapped it straight away and probably have enough left for about a week.I have heard people only keep it for 1 week before it goes off.Have i had it too long ? How do i know when to stop using it ? How long would it last before it going off ? Have been told haylage is dangerouss to use incase it ferments.What is this and how do i know if it has fermented ?

 

[doriangrey]

It shouldn't go off after a week! Mine is unwrapped indoors and will last at least a month. Don't re-cover it with the plastic wrapper when unwrapped as that is encouraging sweaty warmth and mould. Fermentation is good, mould is bad. White mould is generally yeast and harmless, blue mould is bad.

 

[Dry Rot]

It shouldn't go off after a week! Mine is unwrapped indoors and will last at least a month. Don't re-cover it with the plastic wrapper when unwrapped as that is encouraging sweaty warmth and mould. Fermentation is good, mould is bad. White mould is generally yeast and harmless, blue mould is bad.

Can I join in on this thread? Maybe it will add to the general knowledge.

I have some three year old haylage. It was lovely stuff when made, almost hay, and was wrapped with eight layers of plastic by the contractor. I sold some bales last year and the purchasers were delighted, I think one bale had some white mould but the purchaser just put it down to bad luck.

This year several bales have patches of white mould which I have tried to separate out. I fork feed out to my horses out the back of a trailer so that is not a problem. But the mould extends quite a way through some bales and forms hard lumps. Even though what is left looks OK it smells odd. Not rotten but not the sweet smell of good haylage either. The ponies don't seem keen on it and I have been dumping it. Am I right? Seems a waste if it is not harmful.

 

[mariebx19]

Thanks.It doesnt look bad or mouldy,just someone at the yard saying haylage isnt good to feed because of fermentation.Then other people telling me about botulism but i phoned my vet to find out about that and she said it was fine.My horses wont touch hay so i have no choice but to feed haylage.

 

[catroo]

I have been told that white powdery mould isn't harmful as it's yeast (which some people feed as a supplement), blue/green mould is very bad though and should not be used.

I use big bale haylage as well and like you I completely unwrap it straight away and it will last up to four weeks, by the end it may be quite dry, almost hay like. My friend left her last bale wrapped up with just an opening cut in that she pulled it out from but within two weeks it was bad, you could tell from the smell and look. She might of just been unlucky but I think that once you have broken the seal you need to let the bale breath to stop it getting sweaty and hot.

 

[doriangrey]

Can I join in on this thread? Maybe it will add to the general knowledge.

I have some three year old haylage. It was lovely stuff when made, almost hay, and was wrapped with eight layers of plastic by the contractor. I sold some bales last year and the purchasers were delighted, I think one bale had some white mould but the purchaser just put it down to bad luck.

This year several bales have patches of white mould which I have tried to separate out. I fork feed out to my horses out the back of a trailer so that is not a problem. But the mould extends quite a way through some bales and forms hard lumps. Even though what is left looks OK it smells odd. Not rotten but not the sweet smell of good haylage either. The ponies don't seem keen on it and I have been dumping it. Am I right? Seems a waste if it is not harmful.

I spoke to my supplier (farmer) and he tells me that haylage can be kept (wrapped) for up to 2 years. I've certainly had 2 year old haylage from him that has been fine. I wonder if the white yeast has spread because it's 3 years old? I've been surfing and I can't seem to find any really conclusive answer as to how long it can be stored before it spoils. Most refer to the white substance as yeast and not harmful, but I'd be a bit concerned that it smells odd to you. I'm a bit of a closet haylage sniffer and I generally would expect my haylage to smell slightly sweet with a hint of pineapple! The only problem I had this year was that I had to buy haylage in August (new pony) and as the weather was so mild it was heating up inside the bale (unwrapped) and the centre of the bale was getting mouldy. I tried to get around it by literally unwinding the bale and shaking it out basically drying it, I don't think I've ever been so happy for the temperatures to drop! I think if you are worried about the white substance then don't feed it, have very occasionally come across a small, white patch and just removed it. I feel your pain, I hate wasting forage

 

[Dry Rot]

I spoke to my supplier (farmer) and he tells me that haylage can be kept (wrapped) for up to 2 years. I've certainly had 2 year old haylage from him that has been fine. I wonder if the white yeast has spread because it's 3 years old? I've been surfing and I can't seem to find any really conclusive answer as to how long it can be stored before it spoils. Most refer to the white substance as yeast and not harmful, but I'd be a bit concerned that it smells odd to you. I'm a bit of a closet haylage sniffer and I generally would expect my haylage to smell slightly sweet with a hint of pineapple! The only problem I had this year was that I had to buy haylage in August (new pony) and as the weather was so mild it was heating up inside the bale (unwrapped) and the centre of the bale was getting mouldy. I tried to get around it by literally unwinding the bale and shaking it out basically drying it, I don't think I've ever been so happy for the temperatures to drop! I think if you are worried about the white substance then don't feed it, have very occasionally come across a small, white patch and just removed it. I feel your pain, I hate wasting forage

This haylage had eight layers of wrap which is unusual and a lot, but there was a misunderstanding with the contractor! That is why it has lasted so long. Because of the time factor, I started another thread "White mould in haylage" and have had quite a few replies. As you say, it is apparently OK. I fed it last night in sufficient qualities that the ponies could pick through it and take what they wanted. This was forked out but I put about 3/4 of the bale in a feeder. They are all still eating it this morning -- and still alive!

As to the storage of silage/haylage/hay, the main thing is to exclude air. If that can be done totally (wrap can't manage that), the moisture content doesn't matter and it will store indefinitely. Of course, if it is at all damp and the air can get at it, rot sets in. So, the more layers of wrap, the longer it should stay preserved.

I usually make hay here and one year we had hay under trees that was not quite dry enough for hay, so we wrapped it (six layers). It was just like hay with a faint smell of haylage a year later and the livestock (cattle) loved it.

There was also a thread on a farming forum about silage with mushroom like growths sprouting through the plastic. Again, it seems that is OK. I suspect the white mould is actually the mycelium (main body of a fungus) and the mushroom thing is the fruiting body.

 

[doriangrey]

This haylage had eight layers of wrap which is unusual and a lot, but there was a misunderstanding with the contractor! That is why it has lasted so long. Because of the time factor, I started another thread "White mould in haylage" and have had quite a few replies. As you say, it is apparently OK. I fed it last night in sufficient qualities that the ponies could pick through it and take what they wanted. This was forked out but I put about 3/4 of the bale in a feeder. They are all still eating it this morning -- and still alive!

As to the storage of silage/haylage/hay, the main thing is to exclude air. If that can be done totally (wrap can't manage that), the moisture content doesn't matter and it will store indefinitely. Of course, if it is at all damp and the air can get at it, rot sets in. So, the more layers of wrap, the longer it should stay preserved.

I usually make hay here and one year we had hay under trees that was not quite dry enough for hay, so we wrapped it (six layers). It was just like hay with a faint smell of haylage a year later and the livestock (cattle) loved it.

There was also a thread on a farming forum about silage with mushroom like growths sprouting through the plastic. Again, it seems that is OK. I suspect the white mould is actually the mycelium (main body of a fungus) and the mushroom thing is the fruiting body.

Glad the ponies are OK, I had in the past wondered if the white/yeast/mould could be penicillium candidum that you shove in the curds when you are making brie that causes the white mould but there have been no references to that, that I can find so I guess not. Another farmer friend here who has a huge silage pit has the same type of white yeast/mould growing on the silage at intervals, apparently the cattle love it.