my horse doesnt want to eat his 6 day old haylage, maybe hes not hungry?

ribbons said:
Haylage in the open bale, haylage in the net, it's all the same age since opening. It's fine for a week, sometimes longer in cool weather. I make up nets for several days at a time. I don't understand how anyone can think there is a difference between it sitting in a bale or hanging in a net. But if a horse has not touched any AT ALL in 6 days I'd be concerned but if it's just not clearing it's net all up your giving it to much.
Click to expand...

Because one is still wrapped and compacted and only the face section left open (which if you then look at the sections behind changes vastly within one warm day) and the other is open and loose with lots of faces to the elements. Leave a pack of ham in the fridge open and see how much quicker it goes off than when some clingfilm is on it, same principle.

I would leave hay in a haynet longer than haylage. However I don't stable any now, just for tacking etc so haylage isn't fed in nets.

We feed twice daily as it's better for them and us as each feed is tailored to the horse, so it's not piled up and wasted.
Haylage in a field will be left uneaten within 2 days as is trodden and open to the elements.

I would be more concerned about why it's not eating :/

Pan
 
mine has haylage on the floor, he often leaves some (most of the time is because Iv given him too much :o)but I leave that in and put fresh in on top. Once or twice a week I will take all of it out and throw it away and a couple of times a week he will go in his box without fresh for an hour or so. If he's not hungry he wont eat it but 9/10 he goes in and starts sifting through his leftovers! :p
 
I would usually top up a net but if my horse hadn't eaten for 6 days I would be giving a fresh net from a fresh bale whilst having a mini heart attack! They can't leave it in a box for 6 days with the attitude 'it will eat it if its hungry' surely?!
 
Very surprised at the amount of people whose horses have Haylage left over...surely you are feeding too much if your horse is consistently leaving it? I never have this problem. Back to the original question... 6 days...something is not right with the horse or the Haylage...
 
Thistle said:
I have a recycling system where the yard companion gets the left overs as his main hay feed. Perhaps this makes me a very bad person. Small pony doesn't seem to care, saves waste as well. Obviously I would never feed him anything that was off and yes I would be very concerbed if a stabled horse hadn't eaten for 6 days.
Click to expand...

This is a fab idea, I do similar in that if stabled horses dont finish up the shettie in the field gets it! no waste and no fear of yuckiness
 
I dont agree that haylage on the bale is the same as in the net.. once you stick it in the net it soon dries out.

My two are fed off the floor, and the haylage does dry out quickly as its shaken out and open to the air. If appy deems that his haylage isnt fresh in his stable that day he wont touch it. Works out okay for me though as warmblood will eat anything and everything..and then some! So i can usually recycle appy's leftovers.

But i'd be concerned if the owner hasnt given the horse any fresh for 6 days.. poor sod!
 
smokey said:
I was throwing it because I knew my horse wasnt going to have another net of haylage in the next few days, if I had been giving her more in the next 24 hrs I would have topped it up. I agree its the same on the bale as in the net, but if mine hadnt touched their net for 6 days I would be wondering why. My point was that I was always taught to feed fresh every day, and this woman was doing the opposite of that and wasnt getting that maybe a fresh net would be welcomed.
Click to expand...

Are you sure that it was a full net that has been left for 6 days, and not just the end of the net that has been in there for 6 days and the owner has been topping it up daily?

I always leave haylage leftover in a net and just top it up - if its left one day, its generally been eaten the next... my retired mare never leaves a scrap, the new boy will occasionally leave a bit, so if after a couple of days the same bit is left, I chuck it in for the retired mare...
 
I wouldn't have left it in a net for 6 days, if it isn't eaten in 2 I would pass it onto a less fussy greedy! I wouldn't be chucking it away.
 
lots of interesting replies, thanks! Just to clarify, no haylage is wasted on our yard, if we are dumping day old stuff we have a pile beside the bale for it, YO then forks it all onto a barrow and takes it for his ponies. Saves waste, and saves him pulling away at the bale to get enough to feed all his. In winter any mine has left in the morning goes into the field with her. I got the impression from this woman that she didnt understand that there are other reasons for a horse not eating, she just dumps a load in the stable, and tops it up, so there looks like a huge pile, but in fact the stuff underneath is pretty yuck . She apparently fully mucks her bed once a week, so i guess thats where the haylage lying for 6 days comes from, he gets totally fresh once a week, then topped up. On the bright side, he gets fresh water every day! YO isnt really interested in getting involved, guess if the horse is standing it must be ok!
 
Not good at copying previous posts but in response to pandorasjar reply to my comments I will add that I never ever leave haylage partly wrapped, that is when you risk botulism probs. The part of bale still encased in plastic will sweat and deteriorate. The ham you used as an example will only stay safe and fresh because it's completely wrapped in film thus excluding air, just as the unopened haylage does until opened or wrapping damaged. We open haylage and remove all wrapping, stand it on a pallet in spare stable and it's fine, but no different this way to hanging in a net.
Our local supplier has been making haylage for almost 20 years and he tells us haylage is fine when fully wrapped and airtight for a very long time, or fully unwrapped with air all round it for a good week. But partially wrapped is very unwise.
 
Luci07 said:
Very surprised at the amount of people whose horses have Haylage left over...surely you are feeding too much if your horse is consistently leaving it? I never have this problem. Back to the original question... 6 days...something is not right with the horse or the Haylage...
Click to expand...

I feed ad lib haylage, surely if a horse consistently has nothing left it isnt truly ad lib? I'd rather have something left than worry that my horse had finished her quota and had been standing for hours with nothing. There isnothing wrong with the haylage, just the way this lady feeds it, basically just covers the old with a sprinkle of fresh, horse eats that and leaves the old. I wouldnt eat a meal that had been on my plate for a week with a bit of fresh on top. Think if this horse was given a proper ration of fresh he would eat it all.
 
When I used to feed haylage, mine would know if I'd put it back in the net off the floor or given him some he'd left, he wouldn't eat it, I'd give fresh every day, try and monitor it so there's not too much left, I'd give any leftovers to anyone's horse who'd eat it which they would, but not mine lol

He has to have hay now due to Lami new years back, any leftovers his neighbour has
 
smokey said:
I feed ad lib haylage, surely if a horse consistently has nothing left it isnt truly ad lib? I'd rather have something left than worry that my horse had finished her quota and had been standing for hours with nothing. There isnothing wrong with the haylage, just the way this lady feeds it, basically just covers the old with a sprinkle of fresh, horse eats that and leaves the old. I wouldnt eat a meal that had been on my plate for a week with a bit of fresh on top. Think if this horse was given a proper ration of fresh he would eat it all.
Click to expand...

What is the condition of the horse like ? its a wonder it hadn't coliced if its getting lots of hard feed and not much fibre
 
NOISYGIRL said:
What is the condition of the horse like ? its a wonder it hadn't coliced if its getting lots of hard feed and not much fibre
Click to expand...

Its condition isnt bad to be honest, although it is rugged, so difficult to tell. I do wonder about colic, think shes been lucky so far. It does apparently get out at weekends, when her daughter is there to help! She takes it a walk once or twice a week, sometimes with her grandson on board. I just dont get it, but maybe its just me! lol
 
smokey said:
I feed ad lib haylage, surely if a horse consistently has nothing left it isnt truly ad lib? I'd rather have something left than worry that my horse had finished her quota and had been standing for hours with nothing. There isnothing wrong with the haylage, just the way this lady feeds it, basically just covers the old with a sprinkle of fresh, horse eats that and leaves the old. I wouldnt eat a meal that had been on my plate for a week with a bit of fresh on top. Think if this horse was given a proper ration of fresh he would eat it all.
Click to expand...

Nothing left the NEXY MORNING! if the horse keeps leaving it then you have fed too much. Ours have a small net to munch on as soon as they come in, then supper, then hay or Haylage last thing. YO checks last thing as well and tops up if necessary. Head girl is responsible for feeding and it's my role as a livery to talk through how mine are doing in terms of condition, work etc and want I want. Obviously staff look at horses condition but it's up to us as owners to feed back how the horse is feeling and what we want. In all the (many) years I have had horses, DIY and livery, never had one who has hay or Haylage left in the morning.
 
sorry to hyjack but it is hay related!

i bought a large 6 string bale of hay and all the way through on one of the strings its black, with wood lice in there...i havent fed this bit as unsure why its like this, it just smells like earth... £65 i dont expect this and i have been pulling it off but why would it be like that yet fine every where else? :mad:
 
My horse would not eat haylage if I left it in his stable!! I tried leaving a little bit at the bottom of the pile but it was thrown around the stable with discust!! I was only from the AM!!! When mine was on box rest for 24/7 resently he had soo much haylage and if he did not eat it I took it all out and started again!!
 
Luci07 said:
Nothing left the NEXY MORNING! if the horse keeps leaving it then you have fed too much. Ours have a small net to munch on as soon as they come in, then supper, then hay or Haylage last thing. YO checks last thing as well and tops up if necessary. Head girl is responsible for feeding and it's my role as a livery to talk through how mine are doing in terms of condition, work etc and want I want. Obviously staff look at horses condition but it's up to us as owners to feed back how the horse is feeling and what we want. In all the (many) years I have had horses, DIY and livery, never had one who has hay or Haylage left in the morning.
Click to expand...

I was always taught that it was better to have some left in the morning, at least then you know the horse has not been standing for hours with nothing. I know some horses whose net is empty by the time their owners have gone home for the night, they then stand till morning with nothing. I dont have the luxury of staff to top my horse up or feed for me, so I make sure she has enough til I get back to her. If I have guests for a meal and they clear their plate, I always offer more, I would hate to think I would send them home hungry! Rather they left some than licked the plate! lol.
 
walkers_dream said:
sorry to hyjack but it is hay related!

i bought a large 6 string bale of hay and all the way through on one of the strings its black, with wood lice in there...i havent fed this bit as unsure why its like this, it just smells like earth... £65 i dont expect this and i have been pulling it off but why would it be like that yet fine every where else? :mad:
Click to expand...

sounds like it has been stacked at the bottom of the pile, right on the ground. Its probably got a bit wet at that bit, hence the earthy smell and woodlice, they love damp, decomposing wood, and most likely have mistaken your hay for same! I would contact your supplier and ask that he replaces it with good hay, certainly wouldnt feed it x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top