The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Other => Topic started by: Westyardfarm on September 24, 2015, 02:20:27 pm
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We ended up with quite a lot of large bale haylage (they are too large to move by two people), so we have invested in a spike for the tractor.
The haylage is for my 3 small ponies, all of whom have grazing restrictions and mild other complications (ie coughing from hay etc).
The vet has recommended I introduce the haylage (it was baled end of July) gradually over a three week period, mixing it with hay.
My question is: has anyone had experience of this before? How do I open the bales, in order to re wrap them to try to save the haylage (I'm told it has a shelf life of 5-7 days) so I do anticipate quite a bit of waste.
Does it fall into sections like small bale hay? Help....am planning to start on this programme of feeding before my current hay runs out in a few weeks. Thanks.
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I personally think you will have a problem as big bale haylage is ok when there is a lot of stock to feed, but the relatively small amounts that three small ponies can consume without either becoming hyper or developing laminitis would be wasteful of a big bale. Once opened, the air gets in and as you say it will only last about 5 days (if your'e lucky), to re-seal you'd have to 'evacuate' the air or the degeneration would continue - easier said than done.
One other thing, purely personally I don't like the 'spike' method, you are puncturing the wrap and defeating the object of keeping the air out (ok for big round bales of hay). Far better IMO, to use a bale grab - although admittedly it's a lot more expensive and you need the tractor capable of handling it.
I have seen big bale haylage fed to equines - in a racing trainers stables where there were about 40 thoroughbreds that needed a high energy diet, they got through a big bale in about 2 days. It did come out of the bale in slices albeit large and was apportioned equally to each of the horses.
Sorry to be pessimistic, but perhaps you could share the bales with someone else for a price or (I take it you had the haylage made from your land) sell the complete bales to someone who could use them efficiently, then re-source a supply of small bales/packs of haylage that would not be wasted?
Good luck anyway, hope you find a good solution.
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If its cold you may get away with it but its far too warm for large bale to last a week. A large round bale of meadow hay haylage baled dry lasts me five days with 4 X14.2's. If its warm and it starts to get hot I unroll the whole bale and fluff out to dry in a shed.
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Thanks for the replies so far. My other option is to use the late baled hay we made a few weeks ago, and let the haylage stand until we decide what to do with it. The late hay is small bale, therefore manageable by me (smallish female) and needs a while to stand before I can use it. The only problem is that it wasn't 100% dry when it was baled and as a result we are seeing mould already...altogether very disappointing for our first year of hay making, hoping we won't lose it all. Next year we'll buy a hay Bob so we can turn it more often and not rely on the contractors who are so so busy.
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Might be worth seeing if someone will swop your haylage for hay. I have fed nine ponies on large bales and even then some was lost due to over heating. OK in very cold weather.
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Is it round or square bales? Round are in a spiral so can sort of get slices if ur lucky. U can't re wrap a bale once open. One bale feeds 9 cattle a week with me.
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I have only seen large haylage bales used for horses at pony club camps where they are feeding 40 and get through bales in about 3 days. We were advised with COPD pony to steam our hay in order to retain its nutritional value better. Appropriate amount of hay in a haynet (making containment easier) in a plastic bin with lid. Kettle of boiling water over, lid on for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and you're good to go.
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I know its an oldish post but years ago we had to steam hay and I made a primitive steamer, a large plastic dust bin with some screwed up chicken wire to keep hay net off the bottom a hole in the side of the bin at the base and couple of small vent holes in the lid at the edges away from the handle. To this I attached the hose from a wallpaper remover steamer. 20 mins and job done , it was also useful for softening some of the harder/ coarser hay as well.
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We re not quite ready to use big bale yet, not enough stock need it yet here, just wome rams and a couple of ponies. so I get small bales at the mo, In my little car. Passed my driving test so can go n get it myself now :excited:
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Well done Hellybee!! the world is your oyster now!
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Thank you , ahh I'm loving it :thumbsup: :excited: X