small haylage bales

stilltrying

stilltrying

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Quick question for those who use small haylage bales (20kg) - how long do they last you? I am debating whether its worth getting a trailer load. We have to buy our haylage from YO and its gone up to £1.50 per day (enough for fat pony not my beast) and will end up costing me an arm and a leg to feed what I need. The little bales I could get away with keeping in my garage depending on how long they last.....if anyone could let me know how long and for what type of horse that would be fab
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Last winter with a good doer 16hh horse and a 13hh pony I was getting through about 1 and half small haylage bales a week for feeding at night only. I keep my unopened bales outside as I have no dry storage.
 
Last winter with 16hh poor doer, I was going through 2 bales a week (feeding at night only) as well as 2-3 small bales of hay a week. If I was feeding haylage only, it would be more like 4 bales a week.
 
I feed 1 bale a night between my 2 - 15.1hh and 16.1hh. In volume this only amounts to about 3 - 4 sections of hay each I thought?

I also keep my unopened ones outside due to lack of storage (they come delivered on a pallet in quantities of 25 and £5 each 20kg bale)
 
My 16.2hh hungry monster would need at least half a bale of 20kg haylage overnight! Certainly not a cheap option!!!
 
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My 16.2hh hungry monster would need at least half a bale of 20kg haylage overnight! Certainly not a cheap option!!!

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hmmm...this is what concerns me! Thing is i'm going to end up paying 20 odd quid a week if I buy from YO. He gets plenty of turn out (7 - 7 even in darkest depths of winter) but he needs more than a small haynet at night
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Have a scout around and see if you can find the 30-35kg small bales (they are usually green wrapped). I can get these for about £7.50 individually so if you bought in bulk you may get cheaper.
 
For a normal horse who was in regular work (not good or bad doer really) one bale usually lasted me 3 days which is how long they are ment to last for if you are just feeding haylage (was being careful with my old horse as he was my first one so looked it up and asked the vet!). So £1.50 a day is probably still worth it!
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Thanks guys, I think I'll just buy a couple and compare to my yard allowance. I wouldn't say mine is a poor doer, but he's a big lad (17h m/w) and needs his grub!

Will also look to see if anyone can get slightly larger bales. Only thing is i've got to be able to manage a bale on my own, cant see OH trapsing up to yard in the dark!!
 
small bales are a waste of time for me, with one large ponio, 2 minis to feed and odd haynets for shows, and other pony who comes in for odd nibble have ordered slightly smaller than last year as no longer have all 5 mouths to feed, but will easily get through 1/4 tonne bale a week this year so much cheaper option for me personally, the little ones I would be lucky for them to last 2 days even with the one ponio as i like them to have ad lib during the winter.
 
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