[Susannah]

We made haylage this year but have never fed it to the cattle before. Is it ok just to put a bale in the feeder for them or should it be introduced slowly? They have been fed hay and straw in the past.Thanks.

[sabrina]

I think it would have the same affect as them going out onto new grass after being only fed hay or straw.

[Susannah]

Thanks Sabrina. They are on grass all year, it was just extra feed over the winter where previously they had hay and straw. A friend said I had to start feeding it to them gradually but it would be a lot easier for me to give them the whole bale at once!

[landroverroy]

 It's fine to give them the whole bale at once. It is completely interchangeable and substituteable with hay and straw as it is the same type of feed. You only need to introduce a new feed gradually if it is  something completely different and the animal therefore takes a while to develop the different bacteria necessary for digestion. Therefore if you were adding say roots, or cereals then you would need to start feeding with small amounts until the animal ha adapted to it.
 It is unlikely to have the same effect as young spring grass because it is normally made from a more mature crop, and it has been dried. So it has lower energy and more fibre and does not usually cause "the runs".