how much haylage a day? (Also in Stable yard)

[AFlapjack]

Just a quick question.

I'm thinking of changing from feeding hay to haylage and wondering how much I should feed. Pony is approx. 400kg and gets 6/7kg of hay a day plus 1kg in the form of chaff (split into 2 feeds). He is in 24/7 at the mo but is exercised everyday and I try and hand graze him for half an hour most days.

How much haylage would I need to be feeding him a day?

Thanks

 

[Wagtail]

It depends how moist the haylage is. You will need to feed up to twice the amount (in weight) that you feed in hay. He needs a total of 8kg dry matter but because haylage is moist you need more than that, so between 10kg and 16kg of haylage a day depending on moisture content.

 

[**Vanner**]

I believe you go weight for weight but as haylage contains more water it will be a lot less in volume.

 

[Wagtail]

The volume will look the same or slighty more for haylage as the moisture means it is not so dried out. It is like swelled up hay. Therefore you feed MORE haylage by weight but the volume when it is fluffed out looks the same.

 

[LadyRascasse]

personally as long as he isn't over weight then i would be feeding ad lib, particularly as he is in 24/7 ad lib forage will help prevent boredom and gastric ulcers.