What to do with leftover haylage?

[GrassChop]

I have half an opened bale and one unopened that is no longer needed now the grass is growing.

Any ideas on what can I do with it, please? It feels like a waste for it to all go off!

Thank you!

 

[Sossigpoker]

If unopened you could sell it or gift it. The opened one I'd just chuck.

 

[blitznbobs]

Won’t the unopened one keep?

 

[Cragrat]

The unopened bag should definitely keep until the winter, if it was reasonably well made and is well wrapped with no punctures.
The opened bale won't last long at all this weather

 

[meleeka]

I have a friend that happily accepts any of my leftovers.

 

[Red-1]

My boys ask, "What is this leftover haylage of which you speak?"



However, mine are part stable kept year round. Our grass is too rich for 24/7.

I would bin the opened and keep the unopened to see what it looked like in autumn. If you travel, I would put it on the lorry so, if you get delayed anywhere, you have water and feed on board. I always carry more water and food than is strictly necessary. Even so, the day all England flooded and the M1 was closing left, right and centre, we were reduced to going to the service station and buying a quantity of M&S apples! A four hour box journey had turned into a 12 hour one. You do what you can!

That particular service station was henceforth known as "Charlie's Apples."

 

[The Xmas Furry]

As a part time traveller, I keep an unopened pack of haylage in the lorry for emergencies.
I've just sold it to someone at camp as they've run out and still got this morning to get through and a 2+ hr drive home after. I have half hour....
My bit that's left in my open bag will be a peace offering to little A tonight lol.

Def pop in your transport and keep in the shade.

 

[ycbm]

You can turn haylage into hay. Leave it spread out in this glorious weather, turn it until dry. It will then keep like hay until you need it.

Unopened unholed with plenty of wrap should keep at least 2 years but the vitamin E levels, and possibly other vitamins will degrade.
.

 

[meesha]

Morning all. Following on from the original thread. I now only have one 16h horse and a 14h older loan pony. What's most economical and practical to feed in winter ? They can't have hay as they live together and big one coughs on hay.

Do I get small bale haylage from feed store for beginning of winter then move onto round bale when v cold and wet as it should keep longer or do i try and source some medium haylage bales .. what does everyone else do ? Think small bale from feed store will work out v expensive !!

Last year I had 2 big rounds delivered and they got through it ok but had 2 x16h horses

 

[Red-1]

Morning all. Following on from the original thread. I now only have one 16h horse and a 14h older loan pony. What's most economical and practical to feed in winter ? They can't have hay as they live together and big one coughs on hay.

Do I get small bale haylage from feed store for beginning of winter then move onto round bale when v cold and wet as it should keep longer or do i try and source some medium haylage bales .. what does everyone else do ? Think small bale from feed store will work out v expensive !!

Last year I had 2 big rounds delivered and they got through it ok but had 2 x16h horses

I feel your pain!

I have 1 X 16hh who gets squits on haylage, but doesn't cough and is easy on dry hay.

I also have 1 X 15hh Rigsby, who can't have dry hay for coughing and can't have 'normal' haylage as he has been EMS. I did soak hay for a year as best practice, but won't do that again as we are not on mains drainage and the water was overwhelming. He is on high fibre haylage and it costs a fortune.

For yours, maybe a steamer could work? It doesn't reduce sugars but does sort dust. I had one second hand for about £150. It is a simple device though so would last a long time. It was just a faff for the big lad as he doesn't cough and is fine on dry.

Yes, in mid winter, you should get through a bale before it goes off, especially if you do a couple of days of nets and re-wrap. I know someone would suck most of the air out with a hoover before sealing, and it lasted ages.

 

[GrassChop]

Thanks everyone!
I should probably mention that they are big bales so not easy to move and I have nowhere shaded to store the unopened one so it's currently sat cooking as it is!

 

[GrassChop]

My boys ask, "What is this leftover haylage of which you speak?"



However, mine are part stable kept year round. Our grass is too rich for 24/7.

I would bin the opened and keep the unopened to see what it looked like in autumn. If you travel, I would put it on the lorry so, if you get delayed anywhere, you have water and feed on board. I always carry more water and food than is strictly necessary. Even so, the day all England flooded and the M1 was closing left, right and centre, we were reduced to going to the service station and buying a quantity of M&S apples! A four hour box journey had turned into a 12 hour one. You do what you can!

That particular service station was henceforth known as "Charlie's Apples."

I thought mine would prefer it over the grass still but apparently not so it's just being left!

 

[SEL]

Unwanted haylage is great for mulching gateways!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I have half an opened bale and one unopened that is no longer needed now the grass is growing.

Any ideas on what can I do with it, please? It feels like a waste for it to all go off!

Thank you!

the sealed will do for the winter, the opened can you sell or give to someone at the yard, or just use it on yours.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Thanks everyone!
I should probably mention that they are big bales so not easy to move and I have nowhere shaded to store the unopened one so it's currently sat cooking as it is!

sell it on your local facebook group

 

[rextherobber]

I use it to thickly mulch any bare patches, or spread really thinly on grass, which very quickly grows through and it feeds the grass and improves soil structure.

 

[windswoo]

As others have said the unopened one will be fine - I always have bales left over at the end of the winter which then get fed at the start of the next.
The open one - burn.

 

[GrassChop]

As others have said the unopened one will be fine - I always have bales left over at the end of the winter which then get fed at the start of the next.
The open one - burn.

Thank you. Is it okay if it's not in shade though?

 

[Jenko109]

Just stick it up on facebook for cheap. Someone will bite your hand off for half a bale of cheap haylage.

 

[marmalade76]

We don't tend to get leftovers here, and certainly not haylege! However, if I have anything that is not good enough for the horses, I give it to a neighbour with cattle.

 

[Lois Lame]

I know nothing about haylage, but if I had something that for some reason I couldn't feed or give away or whatever, it would go on either my garden or somewhere where it would do some good, where horses couldn't eat it once it spoiled.

I love the sound of your polite horses, Red.

My boys ask, "What is this leftover haylage of which you speak?"

 

[ycbm]

Thank you. Is it okay if it's not in shade though?

It’s fine for at least the winter of the year after the year it was cut and baled, as long as it has enough wrap on it. 2022 cut should be fine all through to when 2024 harvest is ready to eat. You might need to supplement vitamins is all.

I've accidentally end up with enough for two years, due to change of horses, twice in the past and done this.
.

 

[Hallo2012]

You can turn haylage into hay. Leave it spread out in this glorious weather, turn it until dry. It will then keep like hay until you need it.

Unopened unholed with plenty of wrap should keep at least 2 years but the vitamin E levels, and possibly other vitamins will degrade.
.

this i what i do, make a haylage mountain!