Haylage - good alternative??

[Mermaid2]

Hay in very short supply (as some of you probably know), our farmer has now run out and having trouble locating more. My horse is on box rest and getting through tonnes of hay, gonna give haylage a go, any thoughts? TIA

[notasausage]

Have you tried www.haymapr.com to find an alternative supplier?

[Mermaid2]

Just tried it out, nothing within 30 miles:( Thanks for the tip though

[Loshad]

big bale hay? about £20-£25 bale here and much easier to get hold of; or big bale haylage - which it what i use : £23/250 kg. In midwinter it lasts my 16.2 TB and tiny shetland about 1 week so your box rested horse will probably gobble the same. My supplier does several different types and provides me with a medium protein and medium dry type, which is why it lasts the whole week easily, you can soon smell if it goes off anyway so no worries on that score.

[Mermaid2]

I have been told it needs to be used in 5-6 days and that you don't need as much. My horse is a eating machine at the minute. Had a massive bale of hay which is now all gone:( hence giving this a go. Others are using it at yard just wanted to know more about it - thanks for info so far

[Mermaid2]

Bales of hay in East Sussex, you're not going to beleive some quotes: £7.50 per small bale!!!!!! Round bale about £60. Its gone crazy, am worried what;s going to happen once winter hits. Everyone struggling down South

[keepeverybodyhappy]

Prices are almost as bad where we are.......a lady I spoke to today has sold 3 of hers (ponies) in as many weeks, before the winter sets in-scarey!

[Pixel]

We've just bought a big bale (six string jobby) for £50 but I've heard that some people are selling them for £75! We've also managed to get 50 small bales for £4 each but they are too green to feed yet so they are under wraps. Bit worried though as I've heard tales of hay being stolen and we've only got room to keep about 25 under lock and key. One good thing about the huge bales is that they are pretty much impossible to steal.

The only thing that would worry me about haylage is that if you don't need so much of it then it won't be ideal for a horse on box rest as he will have more time to get bored iyswim! But then I don't really know as I only bought it once for my old pony who had COPD and he refused to touch it so it was back to soaked hay for him.

[Pixel]

Has anyone got a hay steamer at their yard? I was talking to the saleslady on a stall at Hickstead and she was telling me that you can feed poor quality hay that you would normally have to throw away as the steamer rehydrates it and kills mould spores etc. They are expensive but it could be worth it for a big yard that maybe has some old hay left in the barn from last year.

[Callisto]

Hmm, I'd say that poor quality hay will be poor quality hay whether or not it has been through an expensive steamer.

Haylage is great but rich so you need to feed accordinly. Not ideal for a horse on box rest. Can I ask why he/she is on box rest? Could it be an option to turn him away for however long instead? I know it's getting completely off-topic but ime box rest can be self-defeating, especially if the horse is highly strung. I would always go for complete rest in a field if lameness was ligament/tendon related.

[Loshad]

csallisto that's why i mentioned different qualities - my supplier does every type from racehorse (his primary market) to special ones for laiminitics, which would be fine for a horse on box rest. Haylage doesn't always equal rich, although it often did in the past

[Callisto]

I haven't fed it for donkey's years and back then it was more like silage. I didn't know there were different grades. Haylage for laminitic horses eh? Will have to go and google that.

[Mermaid2]

My horse is lame due to serious cut on his pastern, he lives out all year normally and that's why I'm struggling to keep up with demand.

I want him back out ASAP but just have to wait and seew what vet says, hay shortage wouldn't be a problem for me normally its just that's he's stuck in. Gave him his first taste of haylage mixed with normal hay earlier so will see how he is later. Not ideal but will have to suffice until I can sort supplier out. Thanks for messages.