storing haylage

R

redfoxylady

Member
Jan 12, 2008
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Hants bordering Surrey
Hi, I had pretty much made up my mind to start my boy on Haylage when the hay has gone, the hay has been very dusty and harsh of late so thought would try haylage and also in the hope of getting a bit of extra weight on.
The only thing now that has put me off is someone has said that it is possible for it to catch fire! I am looking at a large bale (that will last approx 3wks) it comes all wrapped up in black plastic, there is a lady on our row that stores hers totally unwrapped and stacked in our feed room (approx 12ft x 20ft) and others that leave it outside, covered with tarpulin. I would like to store in the feed room where I currently store my hay but it will be up against a wall on one side and at the back and a stack of hay leaning against it on the other side, leaving one open area at the front. the other lady has heres at the end row by the door and only covered on 2 sides. Will it be ok as I will unwrap it totally, would it only heat up when still covered in the plastic?
thanks :)
 
I store my haylage outside. It is fine in its wrap outside.

As for the lady storing hers unwrapped then that can't be haylage as it goes off in a week once unwrapped.

Haylage is meant to stay wrapped until ready to feed. Once unwrapped it starts a second fermentation process which makes it goes mouldy/off and you can't then feed. Once opened use within a week.

It will be fine in it's wrapping. That's what it's meant to be wrapped in.
 
I am looking at a large bale (that will last approx 3wks)

Sorry, but I dont think it will last three weeks once you've unwrapped it - a week yes, but not three.
 
Hmm, :confused:, everyone at the yard opens it and uses past 3wks, one lady did put a large tear in the black plastic and found then that it did ferment and went mouldy, so now opens fully?? it does obviously dry out when opened but doesnt go mouldy? the experianced YO does the same.
 
I know that years ago, we bought a large bale and it went off very quickly - maybe that was just bad luck?

Have only used hay or small bags of horsehage since.
 
Your YO = :eek:. Haylage is baled and wrapped at around 40% moisture which is preserved by a natural anaerobic (absence of air) fermentation process.

Haylage will go off after about a week once unwrapped therefore she is feeding her horses mouldy hay.

If the haylage is not true haylage and was baled too dry then she is basically feeding wrapped dry hay which is fine as hay can be wrapped to enable it to be stored outside.

I would never intentionally feed haylage which has been opened more than a week.

Feeding haylage which has been opened for more than a week can give horses salmonella and colic and COPD because of the mould.
 
redfoxylady said:
thanks guys, will look into buying the smaller bales, horsehage?
Click to expand...

I used small bales of hay for most of the winter as we don't use enough to warrant getting a round bale. My friend and I share our haylage as we use the same amount so the bales were nice and fresh as they were used within 3/4 days.
 
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