I should know this! (Haylage)

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mickey

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Haylage: Is it true that is order to get the equivalent nutrional value to hay you need to feed more haylage?

I always thought haylage has more protein in it? So surely adding more haylage than hay would up the protein quota??

Please help, I am sure I used to know this. Showing my ignorance here!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Haylage: Is it true that is order to get the equivalent nutrional value to hay you need to feed more haylage?

I always thought haylage has more protein in it? So surely adding more haylage than hay would up the protein quota??

Please help, I am sure I used to know this. Showing my ignorance here!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm no expert but I agree with your thoughts - I was always thought that haylege had more goodness than hay.
 
It is true because although haylage is richer it has a higher water content. (so technically the horse gets less of the nutrients)

It is a bit of a grey area though as it depends whether the richness of the haylage overcomes the amount of water that is in it compared to poor hay, for example.

Now I have thoroughly confued everything I will go back to my wine...
tongue.gif
 
I think technically you do as it has a higher water content and is therefore heavier than hay without increased nutriants.

I always feed less though as it makes mine fat and mental.... In fact I have stopped all together now.
 
I always thought it was less volume wise but the same in weight. However I just feed the same.

Have no idea about the protein though.
 
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I always thought it was less volume wise but the same in weight. However I just feed the same.

Have no idea about the protein though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly yes, less volume but same weight since it has more water in it (so 1kg of haylage will be less 'amount' than hay because it is heavier)
 
QR I am sure I am being thick but I am confised!

So in order to do this I would feed my horse equivalent amounts of WEIGHT of hay and haylage?

OR would I feed more WEIGHT of haylage to get the same nutritional value?
 
I have always read that if you avidly weigh your forage then you should feed 1 1/2 times in weight haylage to hay.

However, as I don't weigh it, I tend to feed it in a slightly smaller volume to hay.
 
Never particularly thought of about it like this because our boys are on so much hard feed they get everything but our haylege is like bloody rocket fuel! If scrooge so much a smells it he goes mental(er) lol
 
Haylage has a lower dry matter content than hay (obviously, as it has more moisture) thus if your horse is fully stabled, and you need to consider the amount of roughage in the diet, then yes you would need to feed more haylage (by weight) than hay in order to provide the same amount of dry matter in the diet

However the nutritional content of haylage may be higher. The protein levels are irrelevant, as excess protein is simply extreted. However the digestible energy levels may also be higher, so weight for weight, haylage is usually more 'fattening' than hay.

If you have a skinny horse, feeding ad lib haylage will increase BW faster than ad lib hay, providing the horse has a good appetite.

For a fatty, better to feed hay, as if you feed haylage you would need to feed less in terms of energy provision, but this might not provide the horse with the required dry matter content and could predispose to colic etc

However , if your horse has access to grazing this does not apply....

Hope this helps. Haylage / hay confusion and protein / energy misconceptions are two of my pet hates, so happy to write several more paragraphs if required!
 
Thanks for this. I think I understand now. At our yard it is just haylage at present. I have always been a fan of ad-lib forage but I don't want too much fat on him...........
I need to find a balance somewhere between providing a decent amount of forage through the night and not allow him to get too fat.
Guess I will provide more haylage than now (so that dry matter content roughly equals the same as hay) and see how it goes. He only gets a scp chaff 2x a day.
 
If haylage is the only option at your yard you can soak it just the same as hay to leach out some of the sugars. That way you can feed ad lib when you need to, without all the calories. We have to do that with one of ours. It is soaked overnight then drained, rinsed and fed that night.
 
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