Soaking haylage to reduce sugars?

[now_loves_mares]

Vet was out today doing my mare's teeth, and while he was here we talked about my mini-shetland companion. She has been looking a bit footy despite the time of year, farrier was here earlier today too and both agree she is looking like she has low grade laminitis. Vet has taken bloods to test for Cushings and EMS.

Notwithstanding all the other management changes I'll make (clipping, grazing muzzles etc etc) I currently feed haylage. I'll probably transfer over to hay once my supply runs out, but for now I can't use both, as I'd not use up the haylage fast enough with just one eating it. Vet did comment that my haylage seemed more like hay anyway, it's not super wet. So therefore is there benefit to be gained from soaking it before feeding to the Shetland? And if so, what is the current thinking? Lots of internet articles say 12 hours but I've read that 1 hour does just as much good?

Cup of tea and homemade Rocky Road on offer for all suggestions

 

[tinap]

I used to soak haylage for my fatty when I couldn't get any hay. I just put it in to soak about 9am & took it out about 2pm. Left it to drain off for a while before feeding it & used fresh eater every time xx

 

[tinap]

Water, not eater

 

[now_loves_mares]

I thought that was maybe some fancy sugar digesting enzyme or something!

I guess if I think about it, it will just have to fit in with my routine, ie chances are it will be soaked in the morning for feeding at the end of the day, so 12 hours near enough.

 

[TicTac]

Personally I wouldn't soak haylage as due to it's allready high moisture content it will very quickly become rancid and IMO a waste of money to ruin perfectly good forage.

Better to reduce the amount of haylage you feed and mix it with Barley straw or equivelent
or just put the pony onto hay which you can soak.

 

[now_loves_mares]

I can't go on to hay yet until I have used up the haylage, so that will have to wait. This is/was only an interim solution; but I've never heard of anyone doing it.

TBH you'd be hard pushed to tell my haylage apart from hay (except for the lack of dust, I'm not much of a hay fan to be honest!) but might do a sample test and see how it works.