Optimising a horse’s ration with haylage

Grass is cut and dried for one to two days and then baled sooner than hay (with a moisture rate of around 60%). The round bale is then surrounded with a plastic film which will maintain it in an anaerobic environment (without air).

Natural anaerobic bacteria will provoke fermentation, transforming soluble sugars into lactic acids, which will help to preserve the forage. The quality of preservation, monitored through an analysis must be excellent. Preservation is ensured when the ultimate pH value is below or equal to 4.

Haylage is generally harvested during May, before the grass matures, when the soil is still too cold to make hay, or when the good weather will not last more than 4 days.

It can be carried out on any type of grassland, but one should not go above 50 % of leguminous plants. 

Here are the practical recommendations for the distribution of haylage :

• This type of fodder needs to be used up within 5 days after opening to avoid going mouldy.
• There should be a gradual feeding transition period of 5 days
• It can be given freely without any addition of hay
• If given with hay, it is better to start with the hay, because horses prefer haylage to hay.

The nutritional quality of haylage depends on :

• The types of plant in the grass. The more legumes in the grass (clover, alfalfa...), the higher the protein content
• Weather conditions at the time of harvest
• The dry matter content (ideally between 50 to 60 % DM)

The daily quantities consumed vary according to the animal’s weight, production (lactacting, growth, work) and the gestation or lactation stage. In the example above, a warmblood horse can consume between 20 and 21 kg of haylage per day.

Production costs for haylage are based on the references from the Chamber of agriculture in the Limousin area, following the 2015 regional Limousin mutual assistance scale. Labour costs are not included in the calculations.

Example : « Elevage des Parts » (Normandy)
Activity : 70 Cows with suckling calves, and 65 sport-horses, on the breeding stud or on livery with 150 ha of UAA (Utilised agricultural area)
Foals from 16 to 22 months old : kept in collective stabling, supplemented with haylage (from a temporary pasture with 80 % of English ryegrass, and 20 % white clover) and a concentrated feed from a supplier (384€ ex VAT/Ton).
Brood mares : stabled at night in winter, and supplemented with haylage and concentrated feed.
Nutritional values of the haylage : FU : 0,66 FU/ kg of DM, DE : 68,3g of DE/kg of DM, DM content : 45 %
Nutritional value of the hard feed : FU : 0,85 FU/kg of DM, DE : 105g of DE/kg of DM.

For 18 month old growing  youngsters , 150 days worth of rations :

Ration number 1 is the ration which is given to the foals at stud.                                                            Ration number 2 is an example in which the proportion of haylage is increased by  more than 9kg to compensate for part of the concentrated feed.

The cost of the ration decreases by about a third, and the animals’ needs are still covered.

For sports brood mares in their 8 month of gestation, 60 days worth of rations :

Ration number 1 is the ration which is given to the brood mares at stud.                                                            Ration number 2 is an example in which the proportion of haylage is increased by 8kg to compensate for the concentrated feed, which is eliminated.

The cost of the ration decreases by 40 %, and the animals’ needs are still covered.

A few precautions :
Ensure that the ration is balanced in minerals, and add a salt lick from your supplier of feed.
Ensure that the preservation of the fodder is of good quality and do not use if mouldy.