Soaking haylage? Hay shortage

[noblesteed]

So it seems the haylage at the new yard has caused a recurrence of the lami Farrier has put pads on front feet today as he found bruising in the white line when he trimmed. He can only think the haylage has caused it as horsey is restricted grazing and is fed fast fibre. At the previous yard he was on hay.

I have been trying to get hold of some hay with no luck so far. The lady at the previous yard wouldn't let me take any with me and stuffed £20 into my hand when i asked!!! Apparently there is a real shortage round here.

SO - can I soak haylage? And what other alternatives do I have?

Thanks!

 

[touchstone]

I feed a laminitic high fibre or timothy horsehage / Silvermoor lite with no issues, I wouldn't feed big bale haylage though; it does work out expensive unfortunately. Haylage is already supposed to be low sugar due to the fermentation process, I suppose with big bale haylage the sugar content isn't known but soaking might help reduce any remaining. I think there is also the theory being put about that the excess acid can cause problems for some.

You can try soaking haylage, but I thnk I'd still be cautious and probably try feeding more alternatives such as low sugar chaff/speedibeet/fast fibre as a replacer until you can get hold of some hay.

 

[Lynds]

could you feed straw instead?

 

[putasocinit]

Please do not soak haylage, it is a fermented product and holds all sorts of bacteria waiting to be released with water, there is another thread explaining more about this.

Agree with the horsehage and silvermore, you could also feed dengie good doer as a hay replacer and they eat it more slowly too.

 

[noblesteed]

Thanks guys. As horse isn't particularly fat or cresty the farrier thinks its more to do with toxins in the haylage. He suggested soaking haylage for 12 hours then rinsing thoroughly then leaving to dry. He hasn't had haylage for 3 years but in the past he has been quite fizzy on the big bale stuff, though these new ones are small bales.

I had a look at the horsehage high fibre and it smelled really rich to me. Would this not contain similar toxins to haylage?

Gonna have to do some more internet research but so many conflicting ideas.

I rather suspect he is tucking into his straw bed anyway, it's wheat straw and it seems to go down rather quickly...