|
Haylage
Dec 4, 2015 16:41:39 GMT
via mobile
Post by mady on Dec 4, 2015 16:41:39 GMT
How much hay would you feed a 15.2 per net?
I'm sure I read 7lb but not sure
Thanks
|
|
|
Post by Philippa on Dec 4, 2015 17:15:03 GMT
I'm not into weighing nets. I feed as much or as little as I feel they need. I like to feed ad lib and don't like to see them standing for hours with no forage. If they are likely to gorge I would double net.
|
|
|
Post by silvester on Dec 4, 2015 18:24:18 GMT
I think I worked out a horse should have 1.5 or 2 percent of its body weight. So a 15.2 is probably 500kg so upto 10kg a day. However in my opinion this isn't much when you include grass, then hard feed. A scoop of nuts twice a day weighs 3.5kg.... Doesn't leave much for hay!!
Obviously haylage weighs more than hay and contains more nutrients.
As a rough guide I give my smaller horses about 6 or 7kg a night in a small holed net and larger horses about 10kg. This feels ample!
|
|
|
Haylage
Dec 4, 2015 18:59:15 GMT
via mobile
Post by mady on Dec 4, 2015 18:59:15 GMT
I'm not into weighing nets. I feed as much or as little as I feel they need. I like to feed ad lib and don't like to see them standing for hours with no forage. If they are likely to gorge I would double net. Unfortunately vets advice otherwise I wouldn't bother
|
|
|
Haylage
Dec 4, 2015 19:01:36 GMT
via mobile
mady likes this
Post by Philippa on Dec 4, 2015 19:01:36 GMT
It's difficult to 2nd guess a medical condition but my pony who had to have sugar levels reduced went onto soaked hay ad lib.
|
|
|
Post by fanfarefan on Dec 4, 2015 20:22:51 GMT
im going to be devils advocat ,,,, i am not happy to feed haylage to any of my equines ,,,, the reason being i do not believe that an equine will find haylage in the wild as a forage, it is far beyond a natural feed ,,,, i know many equines thrive on it ,,, but to what detrament long term,,, as i say devils avocat ,,,,, but throw the argument into the ring,,,and i know its not the original post
|
|
sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
|
Post by sarahp on Dec 4, 2015 21:50:31 GMT
silvester's right re weight of feed per day a horse needs, but this is dry weight. Most hard feed and hay is effectively dry, but haylage contains a lot of water so they need a heavier weight of that to be equivalent. Surely if haylage is not regarded as a natural feed, neither is hay fff.
|
|
|
Post by Philippa on Dec 5, 2015 5:35:41 GMT
im going to be devils advocat ,,,, i am not happy to feed haylage to any of my equines ,,,, the reason being i do not believe that an equine will find haylage in the wild as a forage, it is far beyond a natural feed ,,,, i know many equines thrive on it ,,, but to what detrament long term,,, as i say devils avocat ,,,,, but throw the argument into the ring,,,and i know its not the original post I feed hay to mine all the time. I went off haylage because I had to but now I choose not to feed it. Someone asked me the other day why I feed hay not haylage (I'm the only person on the yard who feeds hay) when you've lost one to ems/cushings you think long and hard about EVERYTHING you feed!!!!
|
|
sarahp
Happy to help
Posts: 9,510
|
Post by sarahp on Dec 5, 2015 7:02:30 GMT
I prefer not to feed haylage too - with little good doing ponies it isn't ideal. I buy my hay from a farmer locally who makes his own and knows what I like - it comes off land grazed early by his sheep then shut up for hay and late cut, and in small bales which suit my buildings and are easier for me to handle. I did have to resort to his big bale haylage one year when there was a hay shortage and needs must, but it wasn't ideal in practical terms although the ponies were fine on it.
|
|
|
Post by fanfarefan on Dec 5, 2015 13:12:04 GMT
SP ,,, with regards to it not being a natural feed , im mean it has gone through a fermentation process , from semi wilted grass .
|
|
|
Haylage
Dec 6, 2015 13:09:34 GMT
via mobile
Post by mady on Dec 6, 2015 13:09:34 GMT
I bought a bale of haylage last week but it's very dry. The farmer said it was made when it was hot so dried to quick.
Does this make it hay as it appears very dry like hay as I wish to soak it
|
|
|
Post by catkin on Dec 8, 2015 19:35:20 GMT
I think the feed value of hay or haylege very much depends and varies on the grass, when its cut, etc. So I wouldn't generalise on either. I do know that we have often made our own haylege over hay for convenience, both storing and making, from low grade, very broad range grasses and we have fed this with no problem at all to ponies diagnosed with cushings/ems and/or with laminitic tendencies. That said, none were ever allowed to become grossly fat and most lived out all year round. I am currently feeding hay that has been tested and is of a fairly average feed value. My cushings sufferer is medicated and has this hay ad lib. I would test anything I feed him unless in very controlled quantities - and I don't like to starve him. Personally, I would rather feed large quantities of roughage such as hay or haylege than supplement with short feed (other than a balancer perhaps). I think this is what keeps equines happy and healthy.
|
|