HORSEWRAP

Haylage for horses - the natural forage solution.

Baled haylage provides hygienic forage with a high feed value. Below is explained what haylage is and the benefits gained from feeding high quality forage to your horse or pony.

Haylage is a beneficial forage solution for horses and is becoming increasingly popular. Trioplast, in collaboration with SLU, (the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) have developed the HorseWrap film specially designed to fullfill the needs for wrapping haylage. You will find here
information about the basic principles of haylage production, some simple advice on handling haylage and information about the the Horse Wrap film.

Wholesome and healthy for horses
The horse is foremost a grass-eating animal and therefore needs some form of grass in its ration at all times. In the summer, the grass usually comes from grazing, but during the winter the horse needs some form of conserved grass product that suits its requirements. Previously the usual way of conserving grass for horses has been to dry it into hay. In years with good harvesting weather and a cold, dry autumn, the chances of dust-free hay with a high nutritional value and high hygienic quality were good.
Unfortunately we are not able to guarantee good harvesting weather. Rain during harvest leads to a delay in haymaking and ultimately produces hay with low nutritional value and poor hygienic quality. Dusty and mouldy hay is a direct health hazard to both people and horses. Horses can easily develop hypersensitivity to dust, leading to chronic coughs and reduced performance.
Haylage is a tested alternative to hay. Haylage with DM content around 50% is both nutritious and palatable.

How does baled haylage work?
Wrapping a bale creates a small silo. This action can be compared with a normal preserving jar. Well-preserved haylage maintains the nutritional content of the grass whilst achieving a good hygienic quality.


How to choose the right forage
Whether you produce the forage yourself or buy it, the most important factor is the hygienic quality. Haylage must be free from harmful bacteria and fungi. The simplest way to evaluate haylage is to smell it and look at its colour. It should be green to brown-greenish and smell fresh. If you are unsure about the hygienic quality of the forage you can take a sample and have a hygienic analysis carried out. Remember also to choose a bale size that is suitable for the number of horses you have. Do not expect it to last for more than three days in the spring and autumn, even if the haylage stays fresh for longer during the cold winter months. Nutritionally, you should try to find forage that is suitable for the category of horse you have. Brood mares and growing young horses need more protein, whilst sports and competition horses need more energy than leisure horses.