1. Production Process:

   • Cutting and Wilting: Grass is cut and allowed to wilt until it has a moisture content of about 40-60%.
   • Baling: The wilted grass is baled and wrapped in plastic to create an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment.
   • Fermentation: In the absence of oxygen, natural bacteria ferment the grass sugars, producing lactic acid which preserves the forage.

2. Nutritional Benefits:

   • High Nutritional Value: haylage retains more nutrients compared to traditional hay because the fermentation process helps preserve vitamins and proteins.
   • Palatability: Horses often find haylage more palatable than hay due to its moist texture and fermented taste.

3. Storage and Handling:

   • Wrapped Bales: haylage is typically stored in tightly wrapped bales to maintain its anaerobic environment.
   • Shelf Life: Once opened, a bale of Haylage should be used within a few days to prevent spoilage and mold growth.

4. Feeding Considerations:

   • Moderation: Due to its high moisture content, horses need to consume more Haylage by weight compared to hay to meet their forage requirements.
   • Fermentation Quality: Good quality haylage should have a pleasant, slightly sweet smell. Poor quality haylage can develop mold or become too acidic, which can be harmful to horses.
   • Transition: Horses should be transitioned gradually to haylage to allow their digestive systems to adjust.

5. Advantages:

   • Dust-Free: haylage is dust-free, making it suitable for horses with respiratory issues.
   • Nutrient-Rich: Provides a rich source of energy, protein, and vitamins

Will haylage give my horse lots of energy?

Typically haylage is low in sugar in comparison to hay, making the sugar itself unlikely to cause 'fizzy' behaviour. An early cut haylage will be more digestible and therefore provide more nutrients and calories in comparison to most hays.

However the type of energy release is 'slow release' and therefore less associated with 'fizzy' behaviour. As hayalge provides a good level of digestible nutrients, often recommend that a reduce of reliance on other concentrate feeds due to the nutrients given. Reducing bucket fed foods can reduce the starch intake and therefore reduce the likelihood of 'fizzy' behaviour. Later cut haylage can also be available for Low Energy haylage with can be another option. 

During the winter time.

During the winter months, depending on your horse’s routine and workload, his nutritional requirements may also change. For those who are stabled over the winter months with reduced grazing, nutritional requirements may drop (unless workload is increased), where this change in requirements is not reflected in the diet, this can commonly lead to excess energy/calories presenting in either unwanted behaviour or weight gain. If this is the case, you might want to take a step down from your current forage onto a slightly lower energy/calorie forage. 

Another factor to consider during the winter months is the reduced activity (often due to limited turnout and fewer riding opportunities) and how this might impact the horse’s digestive tract. 

Hay vs haylage

The benefits of haylage over hay for many is that haylage is dust free. As the moisture in haylage can absorb any potentially harmful spores that horses can inhale, and they stick to the grass - meaning they're eaten instead of breathed in.

It is common for hay to gather dust and mould spores - which is why many horses with allergies, frequently stabled horses or horses with compromised respiratory systems are encouraged to avoid it.

On the other hand, haylage is ideal for horses in regular work, young horses with greater energy and nutritional requirements for growth, and even older horses who need a source of forage that’s easier to digest.