We all are so aware that our horses need adequate fibre in their diet to keep their large intestine working properly; traditionally this has been supplied by feeding hay, but with poor seasons and acquiring hay of consistent quality it is getting harder to supply our horse with quality fibre.  Eco Animal Bedding suppliers of Haylage here in Victoria dropped down some bags to try and at first I was a little unsure but the equines here certainly were not – they loved it!

Haylage is much closer to the horse's natural diet of grass, both in texture and nutritional value. It is more palatable and digestible than hay, has a higher nutritional value and is dustless. Once a bale has been opened, you should remove the whole contents from the bag and for ease place it in a wheelbarrow for feeding out.  It should be used as quickly as possible 5-7 days depending on the weather, in the cooler months you will find that up to 7 days is quite okay.

The next thing was how much to feed,  for example if you have been feeding approx 5kg of dry hay a day then it would be 7kg of Haylage – it is only in weight, you actually feed less volume as due to the higher moisture, it is much denser that dry hay. Another plus is you may find you start feeding less as the horses do so well on Haylage, I know here what we were feeding in dry hay compared to Haylage was heaps more. So like anything new it is best to start on the safe side and just judge your horses condition as you go, you will also find as haylage has about a 10% higher nutritional value than hay, less hard feed will be required to meet your horses energy requirements.

Benefits to your horse:

Weed-Free

Natural – no preservatives or additives

Higher nutritional content and better hygienic quality than hay

Up to 40% more natural Omega-3 & Omega-6 than any other feed

Sweet smelling & highly palatable – tempt the most fussy horse

Maintains a healthy digestive tract for your horse – reducing the risk of gastric ulcers

Dust-free – ideal for horses with dust allergies

High in the correct type of fibre for all horses

Consistent quality & supply – not effected by drought

Haylage retains 90% of the feed value of fresh grass

High in vitamins & Amino acids

Increases your horses water intake

Benefits to you

Weather resistant packaging – can be stored outdoors

Minimal losses of horse feed when fed

Every bag guaranteed - batch numbered for traceability

Quality is higher and more consistent between bales

Our unique packaging - no wastage and no mess

Cost effective

Ease of taking it to events

What is Haylage:

Haylage is forage made for horses from specifically selected grasses, cut at an optimum time and then sealed using a technique unique to Fitzpatrick Haylage. Our packaging allows natural fermentation to take place, which preserves the grass and its nutrients and results in dust free forage that is low in mould spores, highly palatable and nutritious. This method also removes the dust and spores found in chaff and hay.