Wet haylage - still OK to feed?

[Shay]

I've just opened a new bag of haylage (Topscore Haylite). It is wet through - the bag must have been punctured although I didn't notice. It still smells fresh, but is slightly darker in colour. (Because its wet I think! LOL). No sign of any mold spores etc. It does feel slightly slimy - but I suspect that too is more becuase it is wet than anything else. I've had a good rummage through and sniff and it all smells fine. I know what gone off haylage smells like.

But I'm still in two minds - simply because I've never really had wet haylage out of a bale before.

What do you reckon - Is it OK to feed or should I set it aside and return it?

 

[JamesEarwaker]

If you could return it then its all the better and they are happy to swap it for you, the thing is you dont no how long its been punctured, means air has got in and even if you dont see any mold i can pritty much assure that it will appear.

 

[teddyt]

Punctured bags doesnt necessarily mean wetter haylage. Some bales are wetter because the grass came from around the headland of the field- under the hedges, hence the grass isnt as dried. If the bag was punctured and you have seen a hole dont feed it. Otherwise if it is just a wetter bale it is fine to feed but you must feed more of it to make up for the fact there is a higher percentage of water. So per kg there will be less fibre, hence you need to feed more.

 

[Shay]

We went hunting yesterday and took nets of the wet stuff on advice from other liveries. It really did smell OK - but neither horse would touch it. Poor neds. An hours's journey each way and they must have been starving on the way back from the hunt but neither would have anything to do with it. Guess they're smarter than we are! Back to the shop it goes......

 

[cptrayes]

Mine love the wet stuff. I store it outdoors and in high winds and the rain drives into the wrappers no matter how many there are on it. I know it's the rain because it's always the top ones that are wet.

I wouldn't accept commercial, single-bag haylage that was wet though, because that must have been inside all the time, or as you say, punctured, and it's too expensive to accept that.