Owing to this, you should not reduce the amount of haylage fed compared to the amount of hay fed as the horse's fibre intake will be affected. Baleage is a form of haylage that has been harvested, baled, and wrapped. Haylage is essentially grass that has been cut earlier and at a younger stage of growth than hay and left to wilt instead of completely drying out. Answer (1 of 3): It depends. If making hay, these bales need to have 2 to 3% less moisture at baling than small square bales to avoid molding and heating. Less can be more, because the more bales you put out, the more likely they will spoil faster than the animals can eat them. Because our haylage is drier than some it will last for a minimum of 5 days once opened. Any musty smells means it should be binned. I don't have any experience with haylage, but bale 10,000 big squares/year individually wrapped for baleage. Haylage also tends to be more palatable, so you may have to feed it in a smaller holed haynet to slow your horse down. Sealed from oxygen during storage, the forage undergoes fermentation. However, when it is once again exposed to air when it is fed, it can still deteriorate quickly. Silage makes an excellent feed for ruminant animals. Because of this, baled silage . Haylage is, however, higher in protein, and more digestible than hay giving it a higher DE content. The old saying about "making hay while the sun shines" isn't quite true anymore. A four-wheel-drive tractor shapes the growing pile of haylage. Read more This means haylage has a higher moisture content than hay and a lower DM content, typically around 50-65% (NRC, 2008). Haylage has a higher moisture content than hay as it is cut earlier and at a younger stage of growth than when hay is cut. As a result, horses generally tend to do better on haylage, so it's often not ideal for overweight horses and those prone to weight gain, metabolic and laminitic horses, unless it is a high-fibre, lower DE variety. Rather than decreasing the amount of haylage to stop them putting on too much weight, it is preferable to change the concentrate ration to one that contains less energy (calories). Baleage can create high quality forage if done properly. Haylage is not automatically higher in nutrients than hay. It relies on a run of decent weather at the right time of year (June/July for richer stuff, you can do it later and we did, but it has less nutritional value. It has higher digestibility than hay and, therefore, you may need less supplementary feed. Silage, because it is much wetter than hay, is much more susceptible to deterioration. Re: Haylage vs regular hay. Natural fermentation preserves the grass as haylage (about 90% feed value of grass). In short, this means that hay has a significantly lower feed value than haylage. Due to a greater amount of moisture in haylage you actually need to feed more haylage by weight than hay to provide the same amount of dry matter. Silage, because it is much wetter than hay, is much more susceptible to deterioration. Medium square bales (800 to 1000 lb) are increasingly being used across the northern dairy regions to reduce the labor associated with hay and haylage making. Go Back Hay and haylage can have different water content levels. Horses find post-steamed haylage very palatable and with the lower dust and microbial levels you can feed it for longer than freshly opened haylage. These days, we can "make hay" with higher moisture and better feed quality than what we can make as dry hay. Hay and haylage must be good quality or your horse could end up with breathing problems. There is less concern for weight gain or 'heating up' in the horse with hay. Hay and haylage must be good quality or your horse could end up with breathing problems. Haylage is better respiratory wise as it is moist. Needless to say, do not allow the horse to drink the residual water. The higher the moisture content, the lower the fibre, energy and protein levels, so if you know the haylage analysis, you can determine the correct levels to feed. Hay cubes, typically made out of Alfalfa hay, are a compressed, dehydrated form of hay. Sealed from oxygen during storage, the forage undergoes fermentation. As a result, horses generally tend to do better on haylage, so it's often not ideal for overweight horses and those prone to weight gain, metabolic and laminitic horses, unless it is a high-fibre, lower DE variety. We hope you have found these useful and if you have any questions about feeding a horse or pony prone to laminitis then get in touch via our website enquiry form or calling our care-line on 01908 22 66 26. However, to curb the development and growth of fungi and yeast, preservatives are used to protect the feed from heating up. as long as you have some of last years left and mix it in gradually in increasing proportions. If you know the DM content of your forage, multiple the grams by 100 and then divide by the percentage DM. Haylage fed to dairy cows should really be priced on quality (it's ability to make you milk) and dry matter. Traditionally, haylage was cut earlier than hay, meaning that the grasses were more digestible. Haylage is cut from more mature grass. There's probably less risk of a spoiled product when making haylage than either silage or hay. It's a higher quality, higher protein feed that's a lot more palatable. However, feeding silage is much different than feeding hay. The higher the moisture content, the lower the fibre, energy and protein levels, so if you know the haylage analysis, you can determine the correct levels to feed. Paul Larson photo Grasses grown and cut in the same way as for hay but left to dry for less time (approximately 30-40% moisture) Bales are wrapped straight after baling and compress to approximately two thirds of the original size. If your horse could be suffering from a contact allergy it may be beneficial to bathe the area with a mild oatmeal or children's shampoo and avoid washing powders or fly sprays that may cause your horse to react . Purchasing higher-quality hay gives you an upper hand because it allows you to meet your animal's nutritional requirements with less than what would be required if you were feeding a lower-quality hay. How much haylage would you feed a 14hh Arab liv The Savings in hay Losses During Storage and Feeding Dry hay stored outside, especially in high-humidity environments, can experience 20 to 30 percent losses** in just eight months. Haylage is not automatically higher in nutrients than hay. For example, if the hay fed is 85% dry matter and the haylage fed is 70% dry matter then you will need to feed 15% more haylage by weight because there is 15% more water in each kilogram. This in return encourages them to eat more than they would consume hay and makes it a great feed source for fussy eaters and for horses that require higher energy levels - that said, we do have lower energy haylage for the horses that do less work. For haylage production, if there are no silos available, wrapping bales is a less expensive alternative for making a 15 to 20 percent protein forage feed. About 18 flakes per bale. It is good for fussy eaters and horses in rec. If you are feeding less than the recommended . Silage, because it is much wetter than hay, is much more susceptible to deterioration. Unless the haylage is simply hay that got wrapped because it was too wet to store, it should be higher feed value than hay. Due to this, a higher volume of haylage needs to be fed to ensure the horse is receiving enough fibre (generally 1 ¼ times more than hay). For corn yielding more than 100 bushels per acre, about one ton of silage per acre can be expected for each 7 to 8 bushels of grain per acre. Timothy hay/haylage is naturally low in fructose and can be a good option for those who have horses at . Moist hay has a dry matter content of . Haylage dry matter has about 10% higher nutritional value than hay so if you are feeding the equivalent in terms of dry matter, you can also cut down on supplementary feed as less will be needed to meet the horses energy requirements. However if you make it on 1 July you can feed it on 2 July! Ensure clean, fresh drinking water is always available. You also need to remember that when feeding haylage, hard feed can be cut right back - as others have said, it is like rich grass - it has a far higher protein content than hay and will 'upset' the more delicate tummies!! Hay is higher in fibre than haylage due to the lower moisture content (approximately 50% higher in fibre), meaning you will feed less hay to get the same fibre requirements, in comparison to haylage. Recent analyses show that hay costs between $0.02 and $0.07 per pound of dry matter; usually more than double the cost for the same amount of nutrients from pasture. Hay is lower in calories and provides less digestible energy, making it more suitable for good doers. Timothy hay/haylage is naturally low in fructose and can be a good option for those who have horses at . Feeding hay to cattle is expensive. However, when it is once again exposed to air when it is fed, it can still deteriorate quickly. Forage that is ensiled too wet is not appropriate for horses. Hay/haylage suppliers Hay and haylage suppliers that have their forage analysed by Equi-Analytical (or via a UK agent e.g. Should I feed less haylage than hay? Although haylage can have a higher nutritional value than hay, if good quality hay is in short supply it is better to feed haylage, and make sure your horse is getting enough forage in their diet, rather than providing a lesser amount of hay. HAYGAIN steamed hay and haylage are very palatable so there is less wastage, savings are seen in water bills (if soaking) and potential vet bills in the long term. They should both smell nice and fresh. On balance though, hay has a lower feed value than haylage. So there we have it. For instance, soak in a wheelbarrow, drain the residual water and let the horse eat out of the wheelbarrow. Haylage, also known as round bale silage, is another approach to preserving forage in eastern North Carolina. Some advantages over dry hay include less loss during storage, fewer weather delays at harvest . As a general guide, a horse should consume 2-2.5% of his bodyweight in food per day and should never have less than 1% of his bodyweight in forage (e.g. Haylage has a reputation for being more expensive, but generally, horses will eat all their . Look no further than cubes! During a wet haying season, producers often look for alternative forms of forage than the traditional dry hay. For example, a haylage . Haylage, grass silage, or baleage are terms given to hay that has been ensiled. I have done some research on the net on feeding haylage and it advices 25% more haylage than hay ,,,,,,,,,,,easy enough but Izzy is on adlib hay. However, haylage at 50% moisture to dry matter contains only diluted nutrients as a proportion of the haylage is made up of water. In fact, you may need to feed more haylage, especially if your horse is . However, common sense is needed as for instance rye grass haylage compared to meadow grass. HAYGAIN is currently available in four models: the HG-1000, HG-600, HG-ONE and HG-GO. Dry hay, haylage, and silage are all methods of producing stored forage reserves, but each differ in their percent moisture (Table 1). Steaming is cost-effective. A ANAZAZI Well-known member Joined /Is it true that I can feed less haylage than hay? Dry hay prices can also be influenced by the horse market. 90%, which is less than normal hay, so it must be preserved. Hay is expensive because:It requires a large investment in equipmentIt requires labor to make and feedMore than 50 percent of it is wasted by either poor storage methods or improper feeding . higher dry matter, lower feed value than silage. It is good for fussy eaters and horses in rec. A degree of water soluble carbohydrates, proteins and minerals are lost during drying. The only way to assess the nutritional value of any forage is to have it analysed. Never feed less than 1.5% of your horse's weight per day. ForagePlus) and provide customers with figures for ESC and starch (which combined should be less than 10% on a dry matter basis for a horse with insulin dysregulation, EMS and/or endocrinopathic laminitis) and DE include: « Reply #7 on: February 05, 2015, 03:17:31 PM ». Making great haylage takes less time than making dry hay By making the decision to harvest our extra forage as haylage instead of dry hay, we have been able to get all of our fields made on time. Haylage is, however, higher in protein, and more digestible than hay giving it a higher DE content. Wet hay turns mouldy quickly. The moisture within the sealed bales preserves the haylage, which can retain 90% of the feed value of fresh grass. The water content is much higher than that of hay so in order to feed enough dry matter content you always need to feed more haylage than hay. How many flakes of hay does a goat need? The slower fermentation results in a pH higher than that of haylage. The reason for the spoilage is that you are not controlling the air, remember the haylage needs to ferment in an air free environment. In contrast to haylage, moist hay is preserved without the use of (lactic acid) fermentation. Timothy hay/haylage is naturally low in fructose and can be a good option for those who have horses at . 5. The differences between hay and haylage are considerable and each have their own benefits. TOP TIP If you decide to change your horse's forage, don't do it suddenly. Any musty smells means it should be binned. Wrapping the bales late gives the wet hay too much time in an oxygen rich environment which will cause the wrapped hay to spoil rather than ferment like you want. The only way to assess the nutritional value of any forage is to have it analysed. For good do-ers prone to weight gain, haylage was less useful for managing their waistlines and so hay was more frequently recommended. Successful Wrapping and Storage of Square Bales. My horse would only ever get one section of horsehage/haylage per day, but this would be along with as much hay as he could eat. "If you are wrapping dry hay, it will improve the forage's digestibility," says Marvin Hall, professor of forage management at Penn State University. Haylage is better respiratory wise as it is moist. Because of this, baled silage . It's much richer than hay, so if your horse struggles with laminitis or is on a restricted diet, it may not be the right option for him. If you are feeding weight for weight, then yes you should feed more haylage than hay as it weighs more. We hope you have found these useful and if you have any questions about feeding a horse or pony prone to laminitis then get in touch via our website enquiry form or calling our care-line on 01908 22 66 26. Although haylage can have a higher nutritional value than hay, if good quality hay is in short supply it is better to feed haylage, and make sure your horse is getting enough forage in their diet, rather than providing a lesser amount of hay. If you are changing from hay to Equilage, do so over a period of at least seven days, to allow the flora in the hind gut to adjust. For example, a haylage . You're still feeding your horse hay, but it's less messy, less wasteful, and less expensive! Because haylage is quite wet it can flow through the cows quite fast - basically we're looking at sloppy, wet dung, so we often feed a mix of hay and haylage at any one time, the hay mopping up the wet internally and creating a firmer dung, easier to remove with the muck fork and barrow and fewer dung splashes decorating gates and mangers. Today, silage is much more economical than most hay, and it may be possible to feed more silage. Due to a greater amount of moisture in haylage you actually need to feed more haylage by weight than hay to provide the same amount of dry matter. Sealed from oxygen during storage, the forage undergoes fermentation. Feeding smaller, more frequent meals and using hay nets and feeders can greatly reduce the amount of hay that is wasted. Haylage has good vitamin content compared to hay as it has not been "baked out" by the sun. Although haylage can have a higher nutritional value than hay, if good quality hay is in short supply it is better to feed haylage, and make sure your horse is getting enough forage in their diet, rather than providing a lesser amount of hay. Haylage dry matter has about 10% higher nutritional value than hay so if you are feeding the equivalent in terms of dry matter, you can also cut down on supplementary feed as less will be needed to meet the horses energy requirements. With all the units steamed hay is ready to feed immediately after . What is haylage? Therefore, horses need 1.5 times the amount of haylage than if fed on hay. Haylage tends to be more digestible than hay so horses and ponies tend to do better on it. Soaking hay should be an emergency solution when low NSC hay is . Feed the same amount by weight as you would of hay but reduce hard feed quantities. Haylage typically has a higher feed value than hay due to the decreased level of drying involved in haylage production. 2008/2009 But it doesnt need wrapping only baling haylage is between hay and silage on the spectrum of richness. There is a small risk, however, that haylage can spoil and cause botulism, so it is usually recommended that those who feed haylage frequently vaccinate their horses against botulism. In our pre haylage days, getting dry hay made well was tough and, sadly, resulted in our share of rained on hay. A horse's daily intake of feed, as a percentage of its bodyweight can vary from 1.5% to 3% depending on the type of horse, his condition and workload. 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