Haylage questions

Hoof_Prints

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Hi, I've always fed hay until recently but due to a dust sensitive horse, switched to haylage as soaking is no fun in the winter! I was using the local supplier but today bought two horsehage bales and was quite surprised to find white mouldy looking bits, and that it was much wetter than I've seen before. When I tied the net up I found small lumps of mud , is this normal and ok to feed? Horse had a slice this afternoon, but has a whole net for the morning and I'm worried it looks different to what I've seen before! TIA
 

Pearlsasinger

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I wouldn't want to pay Horsehage prices for baled mud! The white mould should be ok to feed but I would take the bale back to the shop. I would expect better quality tbh.
 

Mike007

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DONT FEED IT.return it. Soil inclusion in haylage is terribly dangerous as the soil will have introduced botulism bacteria. Farmers making haylage go to great lengths to avoid soil inclusion because of the danger.
 

Hoof_Prints

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Ah thanks, worried now though as he has a slice :( before i noticed anything wrong! I'll chuck it and go back to my local farmer. Hope he will be ok
 

cobgoblin

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I've had trouble with horsehage, mud and worse. I won't touch the stuff now and there are plenty of other suppliers of small bales.
Take the opened bale and the other back along with the mud. White mould is yeast and is ok but if the haylage doesn't smell nice or you are worried about feeding it then I would beg or borrow something else for the morning.
 

EventingMum

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I find Horsehage to be much wetter than the haylage I buy in big bales from my supplier but never had mud in it - that, to me, would indicate it had been cut very sort and would present a botulism risk. When we were competing and needed smaller bales I was lucky that my supplier also does small bales which were the same haylage as his big bales.
 

Hoof_Prints

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I'll soak or steam him some hay , that should be fine. Is he likely to be poorly after eating a slice if it's no good ? Panicking over botulism! Shame as I trusted the nice looking bag and brand. Smells nice but definitely had mud in.
 

Attie

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Mud in haylage ( or hay) is often a sign of moles and it’s the molehills- definitely not what you want as surface soil can contain lots of nasties- it can often affect a whole batch of haylage so I’d look for a different supplier and not feed any more
 
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