Horses require a minimum of 40% forage in their diet. Traditionally
this is provided in the form of hay, but in recent years obtaining
good quality hay is becoming increasingly difficult. The quality of
hay is affected by several factors:
- age of the grass when it is cut - the older it is the more 'stalkier'
it becomes as the flexibilty and nutrients are lost
- the type of soil it is grown on - quality varies according to
geographic location and land use weather conditions
- when the hay is cut - if the weather was damp it can lead to
mould forming in the hay storage conditions - again if the hay
becomes damp, mould and dust spores will form
Quality of hay is important, as low quality hay will have less nutritional
value, but also the dust and mould spores can have serious effects
on the horse's health. Prolonged contact can lead to respiratory diseases
such as COPD.
Recent research in the UK has found up to 80% of hay contains dust
and mould spores which may be harmful to the horse. It is usually
recommended that all hay is soaked before feeding. However, hay should
not be soaked for more than two hours as nutrients will be lost.
An alternative to feeding hay is to use haylage. This has increased
in popularity amongst horse owners due to the difficulties of sourcing
good quality hay. Haylage is produced by cutting the grass around
May to early June, slightly earlier than for hay. Instead of allowing
the grass to dry out completely it is baled when the moisture content
is about 45%. The haylage then has to be processed and sealed into
airtight bags. The haylage then ferments which preserves the nutrients
and prevents mould and dust spores forming.
When considering changing from hay to haylage the following points
should be remembered:
- Haylage contains more nutrients than hay so you will probably
need to cut down concentrates to balance the diet.
- Haylage contains more moisture than hay, so will weigh more.
When calculating haylage rations the extra moisture content must
be taken into account.
- Haylage is more compacted than hay due to its method of production.
Its volume will look a lot less, therefore it can be easy to overfeed.
- Haylage should be introduced gradually, as with any new feedstuff,
to allow the horse's digestive system to adapt.
In the past there were often concerns over the feeding of haylage
and possible cases of botulism. Botulism is caused by bacteria which
have been allowed to proliferate in haylage or silage with a high
moisture content. As long as the moisture content of haylage is below
50% there should be no risk of botulism. Other disadvantages include
the speed the horse consumes haylage compared to hay, storage problems
and its cost.
Studies have shown horses eat haylage at a faster rate than hay when
it is introduced, but return to a normal eating rate after a short
period. This can be counteracted by using a small holed net if increased
eating speed remains a problem.
An open bag of haylage can only be kept for 5-7 days before it goes
mouldy, although unopened bags can be kept for up to 18 months.
Haylage is also more expensive due to the more complex production
process. However the advantages may outweigh the increased cost.
Do you use haylage? What do you think of it? Would you like to change
over to haylage, but are not sure?
Whatever your views, let us know on the 'Feeding'
discussion board. |
