Haylage

Haylage For Horses

An excellent source of fibre for horses, haylage helps to maintain a healthy digestive system. At Equi Supermarket we offer the highest quality haylage for horses from leading brands including Equilibrium, Fulmart, Gelston Haylage and Marksway. These are the names you can trust to deliver exceptional nutrition for your horse whether you need haylage bales or blocks.

What is Haylage for horses?

Haylage can be offered as a replacement for hay. It is created from grass that is grown in the same way as for hay but which is left to dry out for less time and so retains more moisture. The grass is then formed into bales that are compressed to roughly 65% of their original size. The grass is preserved by the natural fermentation process and haylage offers 90% of the nutritional benefit of grass.

Good For Allergies or Boredom

Haylage does not contain the dust and spores that you find in hay and so is a better option for horses with allergies or those suffering from coughs. Horses naturally browse for their food and so should eat little and often. In munching on haylage, they closely replicate their natural diet. Eating haylage can alleviate boredom and this is a feed which delivers energy and protein.

Feeding Quantities

The correct quantity to feed will depend on how much exercise your horse receives and the quality of its grazing. As a rough guide, horses should be fed roughly 75% of their diet in the form of forage including haylage. They should receive roughly 2.5% of their body weight in food each day. Haylage should not be fed to horses which are prone to laminitis due to the high protein content.

Storage of Haylage

Handle haylage bales with care and keep them clear of pets who could scratch the bales. If a bale is punctured it should be used within one week. Haylage found to be wet should not be used and you should check for mould in stored bales before feeding your horse. Uneaten haylage should be discarded daily.