How much hay/haylage?

[Sanolly]

A friend and I have 4 ponies which will be wintering out this year, she doesn't seem to have gotten the message about the hay shortage whereas I am the worrier trying to sort out hay or haylage for us this winter!
I have found someone locally who is just about to make a second haylage cut so I am trying to pre-book some large bales for us for the winter but I am not sure how many to get! I am thinking that if we start feeding haylage in October (friends idea) then we will need 2 bales a month for 6 months (until April when grass should be growing) therefore 12 bales? Do you think that will be enough or should I order more? All ponies are tough natives - a fjord, a gypsy cob, a welsh C and a haflinger so should 'do' well over the winter, obviously hard feed will be supplemented when it gets really horrible.

 

[minniemouse]

I would order more than you think you may need just to be on the safe side after last winter! hopefully this year won't be as bad but last year we had weeks of snow and went through a lot of haylage!

 

[Sanolly]

Well the winter before last we had 2 round bales of hay in a field of about 8 which lasted about 2/3 weeks so I would have thought that with it being haylage and there being less ponies in the field it would be enough? But then there is less haylage in a large square bale? I;m completely guessing here though!

 

[hannah28]

i worked out that feeding my two, 16hh tbx fairly good doer and 17.2 hh poer doer i would roughly use about two large square bales a month, only being fed a night. so i would say more ?

 

[nicola_g]

Hello SanOlly,

I would definately say more.

My two who are both good doers (13.2hh native pony & 15hh QHxTB) would go through a round bale per fortnight. This is with one feed a day normally and two feeds per day in really bad weather.

 

[Sanolly]

Update and new question.

I am now having to put the ponies back on DIY so they will be in at night. With the same work pattern as mentioned previously so you think they will need a hard feed or will ad lib good quality haylage be enough do you think? Both are very good doers!

 

[_daisy_]

i wouldnt worry about feeding hard feed if you are feeding adlib good quality haylage. i dont feed my 5 unless they are working hard, they only have adlib haylage
ets i think 12 bales might be leaving you short. i used 60 large round bales of haylage for 5 horses (well 1 WB, 2 IDxTBs, 1 welsh D & 1 haflinger)

 

[kezimac]

dont forget that as haylage has a higher moisture content you feed more haylage compared to hay - its a myth that you feed less haylage than hay.

 

[Mike007]

dont forget that as haylage has a higher moisture content you feed more haylage compared to hay - its a myth that you feed less haylage than hay.

Absolutely, but in fairness heeston bales of haylage will tend to contain the same dry matter content as hay ,they are meerely a lot heavier.What does concern me is that the OP may not be able to feed haylage fast enough to avoid the risks due to spoilage. Also a late cut of haylage will tend not to keep as well due to the lower sugar content available for fermentation.I would not be inclined to saddle myself with an entire years supply of somthing I was not 100% sure of.I think you will find that there will be enough hay around ,just always keep a minimum of 2 months worth in stock. Also remember the more you store the more that can be ruined,or even stolen.

 

[sally2]

Its always better to have to much than not enough the weather men are forecasting another bitter winter but what the hell do they know the didn't get it right last winter.

 

[Sanolly]

Mike I was intending to open the bale completely and let it dry out, that way it shouldn't go off, I will be using 2 slices a day over the winter, maybe more. Depending on how much storage there is at the yard I may just have to get 1 or 2 bales at a time.
ETA if the yard I have in mind works out then it shouldn't get stolen as I will be the only livery there D) along with the owner!