Large bale haylage - practical for 2?

[Suby2]

Someone who has some large bales of haylage is leaving our fields and it is possible that we could buy a bale. There are only two of us in our field with one horse and one pony who are already on small bale haylage.

Do you think it would be practical to buy it just for two or would it probably go off before we reached the end of it? We have only ever used small bale haylage.

 

[AdorableAlice]

If you are feeding biggish horses and the weather stays below 8 or 9 degrees you will be ok. I assume you mean a large round bale not a heston bale.

If it gets warm and you are feeding good doers, ponies or out of work horses you might waste some.

But if you are paying a fiver for a small bale and using several a week it may still be cheaper to buy a big one and risk a bit of waste.

 

[CBFan]

I would say you'd be fine. a friend did it for her 2 (a large and a small) and I bought one bale for my own horse (17hh CB) and kept it wrapped. Make sure you slice the wrapper in such a way that you can do this - I just cut right round the bale towards the bottom so the top just pulled off then popped it back on each time and secured with a rope / bailer twine

My bale kept for the best part of a month in the summer. It was stored in a cool, dry barn though. and it was fairly dry haylage.

 

[Always Henesy]

In my opinion - no.
I used big bale haylage last winter for my 2 - one a pony and the other my big TbxWB and the bales went off before I could use it all.
Wasted at least half a bale each time - so have gone back to small hay bales this winter.
If the temperatures stay really cold - they do last a bit longer, but you only need 1 day of mild weather and the bale will turn really quickly.

 

[Rose Folly]

I think you'll be fine, so long as the haylage isn't too moist. We used it for a pny and a horse throughout last winter but one with no problems.

I presume that you are not allowing your horses constant access to the bale. If you are not, we found it helped to 'open up' the bale which stopped it overheating. If you loosent the amount you are going to give them for the next session it keeps it in good condition.

 

[BigRed]

what I found to be more of a problem, was moving the bloody things, these big bales are soo heavy.

 

[C&C]

We use large square bales of haylage at our yard and there are 2 horses to a bale, they get used in no time

 

[Lennyfan]

We have large bales for our 2, works well. Would agree that the main problem is shifting them! Have taken to bumping them into position with my car, probably not the most sensible idea but it works!

 

[Ladylina83]

I'm using large square bales and go through one every 11 days with my 2

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I have had my large round bale of haylege for 2 weeks now and its fine.

Still smells sweet and no heat Its under a tarp and Im feeding two off it. The ones I get seem to last three weeks if chilly and 4 weeks if freezing temps

 

[CeeBee]

I use big square bales of meadow haylage for my 2 and they eat it in approx 2 weeks depending on weather (they live out 24/7, so if really cold or wet, get a bit extra. This is the first year I've fed haylage due to Harvey having problems with dust from hay.
Numpty question - how do you know if it's gone off? I'm assuming mine cant have done so far ...

 

[Suby2]

Thank you for your replies so far. They are very useful. They wouldn't have free access to the haylage and luckily we wouldn't have to move the bale.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I use big square bales of meadow haylage for my 2 and they eat it in approx 2 weeks depending on weather (they live out 24/7, so if really cold or wet, get a bit extra. This is the first year I've fed haylage due to Harvey having problems with dust from hay.
Numpty question - how do you know if it's gone off? I'm assuming mine cant have done so far ...

Depending on how its made it will either smell really bad, go mouldy and rot or both

 

[becca1305]

I get through at least a bale a week (big square ones) between four so you should be okay. I wouldn't wrap it back up however, the farmer who cuts my haylage told me to cover the top to keep the rain off a bit, but cut the sides open so it can 'breathe'. It does seem to work, the haylage is never 'hot' or 'sweaty' like it sometimes used to go before I knew and kept it wrapped up. Even before they came in at night when I was using a bale every 10-12 days there was never any mould or heat .

 

[samlf]

I use a large round bale to feed one horse, but to be fair she probably has as much as 2 normal horses! One large round bale lasts me 3 weeks exactly, I have the slightly drier haylage and it doesnt go off at all.

 

[Jesstickle]

God yes,

I have 225kg bales and one of these (which I move easily enough between two people) only lasts me a week to ten days between two horses. If I used the smaller (100 and something kg ones I'd be constantly having to shift the damn things around, it's bad enough doing one a week!)

ETS: mine are big square ones so probably about 3/4 the size of a really big round one. My pair could deffo polish off a proper big round bale before it turned in winter!

 

[Irishbabygirl]

Definitely - big square one lasts my two big boys two weeks - I don't re wrap it and let it breathe, find it lasts longer that way

 

[Irishbabygirl]

Just out of interest, how much is everyone paying for big square bale haylage?

 

[Jesstickle]

Just out of interest, how much is everyone paying for big square bale haylage?

I *think* I pay about £30 ish pounds. Might be nearer £35. I can't quite remember. That's for the really big ones, the 100 and something kg ones are £20 something pounds. It's hard to remember as the order is all done in August so I've already forgotten!

 

[3Beasties]

I pay about £26 for a big square bale delivered.

Going back to the orig question I only feed one of mine haylage and it seems to last fine (although lasted better last winter I think). A lot will depend on the type of haylage, the wetter stuff will go off fairly quickly whereas the dryer, hay like stuff (which is what mine is) will last much longer.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Big round haylage bales in Worcs area £30.00 delivered. As far as knowing when it's past it's best you will firstly see a white mould in patches which will have gone into the bale, you will then see the white mould turn blue and black.

Smell wise can be deceiving, moist fresh bales can have a sickly sweet silage smell which many people find off putting and think it smells off when it is actually very fresh. As others have said many farmers make a much drier horsehage product which smells much nicer.

I find a longer stemmed seedy grasses make better keeping and drier haylage than old meadow grasses which can be wet, but all depends on how it was made and when.

 

[katherine1975]

I just paid £30 for big square bales delivered (they are £25 if collected) the farmer says that they weigh approx 300kg. One bale has just lasted two horses 10 days, it is quite dry haylage so does not go off quickly. We opened one end of the bale and then took slices out everyday and wrapped it back up.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

£25 for large round delivered and agin another vote for open to the air, keeps it drier I just cover the top to keep the rain off