Stones in haylage

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Sandstone1

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Just opened a bag of haylage, Filling haynet and found a large stone. Is this normal? I do not use haylage normally but horse has a cough so have been using it to help with that. This stone could have cause a cracked or broken tooth. Is it common for this to happen?
 
We don't buy haylage but we buy straw to feed the cows & that quite often has stones in it. We give it a good shake when we're putting it out.
 
The horse is unlikely to put a stone in their mouth, they pull with their lips. We get twigs and stuff in ours a lot and the horses just leave them in the nets.

You’d be surprised how well they are able to eat around what they don’t want.
 
Sandstone1 said:
Just opened a bag of haylage, Filling haynet and found a large stone. Is this normal? I do not use haylage normally but horse has a cough so have been using it to help with that. This stone could have cause a cracked or broken tooth. Is it common for this to happen?
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Yes I get them from my haylage all the time, pinky type ones, I put them ion my gateways to help the bogginess.
 
I once found a huge branch in a bag of haylage that I bought from Moles (they gave me a replacement bale when I complained)
 
It’s more than possible in hay/haylage/straw. Not common especially in the premium bagged stuff. But worth just shaking it out a bit before feeding
 
I've found stones in it too before now. I feed haylage on the ground so always shake it up a bit when I'm putting it out, the stones just fall out. Never had any trouble with broken teeth from it, as a PP said, they don't just bite into it but pick at it with their lips.
Once I found a bit of uneaten haylage and was just telling my pony off for wasting it, when I spotted the half-a-dead-mouse in the middle of that little pile of haylage. I checked the rest most carefully but never did find the other half.
 
I have found stones, and some quite large sticks from time to time. Only once in many years a creature. Not sure of it’s identity!
 
The last few bales of hay I've had have had big pine cones in.

It is normal but less likely in the more processed haylage. Maybe send and email to the manufacturer- you might get a voucher out of it.
 
One yard where I had my horse on full livery got their big hay bales from an area that was used as a military shooting range.
I found a spent bullet in one slice.
The yard manager said that it was quite common and " it'll come out the other end, don't worry."
I moved very quickly afterwards!
Where Old Horse and I are now, YO makes her own hay, which is consistently excellent.
 
We make our own hay and still get stones. Mostly they come in with the straw I feed, end up on the muck heap and spread along with the muck. They origninate from the stone pad that my straw supplier stores his muck before spreading.
 
I'd worry if a lot of stones were getting in then soil was also getting in with the botulism risk.
A long time ago a big bale of hay at the stables had half a Jack Russell in it 😢
 
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