CanteringCarrot
Well-Known Member
I have a few questions about haylage that I think I know the answer to, but would like some input.
The yard has recently begun using haylage again for a few horses (hay is always available) and I could use it too for my horse with a dust allergy. Sometimes he's alright with some dry hay and some wet hay (doesn't have to be soaked, just spayed with the hose). He's had haylage on and off over the years.
This haylage looks good, there's no bad smells or strange colors. It's quite dry for haylage, but still just a bit damp. When a bale is opened it can sometimes take 7 to 10 days before it's finished. Is this too long? Should I not feed it after 1 week or so?
They generally pick up 2 bales from a local farmer, and often use a tractor attachment with spears (cannot recall the name in English), so then two holes are poked through the plastic. The bale that is not opened right away then sits for almost 2 weeks like this, and then is fed. Still looks and smells fine, a bit dry, but I think that was just a result of the harvest/baling. So, should I feed of of this bale?
I always thought you had to open haylage and use it in less than a week. However, no horses at the yard have had any illness from this haylage when fed beyond a week and when the bale has been opened for awhile.
It would be more convenient to grab a wheelbarrow full of haylage instead of this watering nonsense, but I would think it's not worth the risk, right?
Am I missing something, or is this not ok?
The yard has recently begun using haylage again for a few horses (hay is always available) and I could use it too for my horse with a dust allergy. Sometimes he's alright with some dry hay and some wet hay (doesn't have to be soaked, just spayed with the hose). He's had haylage on and off over the years.
This haylage looks good, there's no bad smells or strange colors. It's quite dry for haylage, but still just a bit damp. When a bale is opened it can sometimes take 7 to 10 days before it's finished. Is this too long? Should I not feed it after 1 week or so?
They generally pick up 2 bales from a local farmer, and often use a tractor attachment with spears (cannot recall the name in English), so then two holes are poked through the plastic. The bale that is not opened right away then sits for almost 2 weeks like this, and then is fed. Still looks and smells fine, a bit dry, but I think that was just a result of the harvest/baling. So, should I feed of of this bale?
I always thought you had to open haylage and use it in less than a week. However, no horses at the yard have had any illness from this haylage when fed beyond a week and when the bale has been opened for awhile.
It would be more convenient to grab a wheelbarrow full of haylage instead of this watering nonsense, but I would think it's not worth the risk, right?
Am I missing something, or is this not ok?
