Soaking Haylage?

[lisab]

I've had some manky HorseHage and it's made my horse huff and puff. I've doubled his inhaler and changed to normal haylage but he's still puffing. Someone on here (Jon - hi Jon, sorry, have deleted all my messages and can't remember your name, oops Blondie) said that he soaks haylage for a COPD horse on his yard.

I've never heard of this before but I gave it a go yesterday. And have the sore back to prove it - blooming heavy.

I've now had a quick look on the net by googling "soak haylage" and haven't come up with much, except 1 scary post mentioning a risk of botulism and fermentation

My plan is to do it (if it's safe) just while he settles down. I HATE soaking hay (which makes him cough anyway, as does steaming with £160 stupid hay steamer grr grrr).

Is it safe?

 

[MrsMozart]

I've never heard of haylage being soaked... Soaking removes goodness and one feeds haylage to get goodness.

Are you feeding the haylage because your horse has a breathing issue? Does he need to put weight on/is hard to maintain weight on?

Give the manufacturer a call in the first instance as it should not be dry and dusty.

Hm. A new one. Will be interested to see others comments.

 

[competitiondiva]

I've heard of a few people on here who soak their haylage too, I suppose if it's particularly dry haylage then it may help? But as said, you're paying more for it, to have a feed that is supposed to have more nutrients and not need soaking, so to me if you're going to soak, you may aswell save your money and feed soaked hay????? That is unless your hay and haylage are the same price, in which case I don't think it matters!!

 

[Chellebean]

I've never heard of soaking haylage. Doesn't it just defeat the object of feeding haylage?

 

[lisab]

He has had COPD for 6 years and I've been using HorseHage for the last 5. It's normally brilliant quality but very expensive. But I bought 5 bales and the 3 I've used have been really dry, almost matted and stuck together and he's reacted badly to it. I'm not sure what else to do, as there isn't anything else I can give him. He can't have hay of any sort - soaked, steamed, boiled or fried it seems.

 

[BFG]

I dont know too much about soaking haylege but i do know that someone on a yard i was at was told by a vet tot soak the haylege so i would think it is safe.

I would call your vet and ask them the question, however i would also take back the horsehage if it is poor quality.

 

[K27]

I've done the haylage soaking thing!

When I was sent over some racehorse quality rocket fuel type haylage when my usual suppliers had run out and it was all we could get in the way of big bale haylage, apart from Horsehage etc!....

I didn't soak it as such, but just rinsed the net with the hose in the wheelbarrow,(and let drain) before feeding to leech out a bit of the sugars etc in it.

It can be done and my horses were fine on it, but I think soaking it for too long would defeat the object as you would end up taking all the goodness out of it!

Have you contacted the manufacturers to see if they will swap the bales at all? or tried other makes?

I bought some Horsehage bales the other day until my haylage delivery arrives today and I did think it seemed of a drier consistency than normal and didn't go so far when making up, but then mine are used to a drier type of haylage.

 

[NOISYGIRL]

He has had COPD for 6 years and I've been using HorseHage for the last 5. It's normally brilliant quality but very expensive. But I bought 5 bales and the 3 I've used have been really dry, almost matted and stuck together and he's reacted badly to it. I'm not sure what else to do, as there isn't anything else I can give him. He can't have hay of any sort - soaked, steamed, boiled or fried it seems.

First of all I'd contact Horsehage people, they sent someone out to inspect ours ages ago now though, I complained because it was mouldy when you opened it, they said it was ok !

Worth a try though to see if you can get any money back.

My horse had lami few years back and vet said if I couldnt get hold of hay to soak haylage, luckily my YM got hold of hay.

You shouldn't have to soak it though, as someone else says it defeats the object, you may aswell give hay soaked

 

[lisab]

Thank you for your replies. I soaked it for 20 minutes last night and tonight. He was much better when I rode him just now so I think I will try just doing it for 10 minutes tomorrow night. As most have said - not much point feeding haylage then soaking all the nutrients out of it. But he can't have hay. And even the greedy monkey hairy ponies at my yard won't eat the manky horsehage and they normally eat anything.

 

[Ironside Hilly]

I used to have to soak haylage for my horse that had COPD and we were battling with stress laminitis at the time. Couldn't even have hay on the yard as this would set him off so I used to soak his haylage for 10 - 12 hours to get all the nutrition out of it. Damn heavy but it is safe as long as you keep it somewhere cool on a hot day.