How long before you can use haylage?

[Christmas Crumpet]

Got my haylage for the winter yesterday. It was baled on Sat. How long before I can use it?

Normally have hay hence the question but am FED up of soaking haynets!!

 

[catherinep]

I would say end of Sept earliest - about 8 weeks minimum but interested to see what other people say.

We STILL haven't made ours - it is desperate - and spitting with rain again now......am terrified that we won't get the contractor's time as he will be harvesting.....nightmare.

 

[spaniel]

Really hard to find an answer to this, I dont think Ive ever had the same one from anyone Ive asked!

I know when you make it the main part of the aerobic reaction is over within about a week and then the anaerobic stuff starts but quite how long you should leave everything sealed up I really dont know.

I have always waited 8 weeks but whether thats right or not I have no idea!

Would be really interested to get a definitive answer on this.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

I was told 8 - 10 weeks yesterday so will wait that long.

Am so excited about the prospect of having hay/haylage at my finger tips instead of doing haynet, soaking for 15 mins, making myself exceptionally dizzy spinning round and round to get the most of the water out, hanging it up to drip, then going back out into the yard 20 mins later to give it to the horse!!

 

[spaniel]

LOL I have a great mental picture now of Guildford the helicopter!!

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

I spent most of the winter feeling sick from spinning round and round with a heavy BIG haynet twice a day. Thankgod for modern technology and haylage!!