Haylage

Hay bales in Tyrol

Freshly revealed bales of haylage

In comparison: haylage on the left, hay on the right (surrounded by straw)

Hayage , pronounced [hɔɪ̯ˈlaːʒə] , is cut as late as hay in contrast to silage , which is made from young grass . After the cut, haylage is dried down to 45 to 60% dry matter (silage approx. 35%) and then pressed and packed airtight. Molasses or bacteria can be added as ensiling agents.

Due to the high dry matter and - due to the late mowing - the relatively high crude fiber content (see also structural carbohydrates and silage), the ensiling process can be incomplete: On the one hand, the dry matter content is above the optimal range for lactic acid bacteria and, on the other hand, the material is not due to the high stalk content easily compressible. All in all, this can lead to an incomplete ensiling process, in which there is a risk of reheating (see lactic acid fermentation ) and the pH value does not fall as low as with silage, which means that harmful germs form that would not have survived in an acidic environment, however not in amounts that would affect appearance and smell. Among other things, clostridia , bacteria are formed that convert lactic acid and protein into biogenic amino acids and butyric acid. There is also the risk of botulinum toxin formation from entrapped carcasses or clostridial soil. This can be achieved through increased pressure (high compression), double layers of wrapping film (minimizes oxygen diffusion after wrapping) and / or the addition of hetero or homofermentative bacteria (cause a rapid production of lactic acid or acetic acid and thus sufficient lowering of the pH value below 4, 5) can be counteracted. Overall, the production of high-quality haylage is certainly something for specialists with experience and the appropriate technical equipment.

However, haylage is often used especially in horse feeding . Because it is dust-free, haylage is ideal for horses that are allergic to hay dust .

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b} Claudia Liath: The herbal manual for horses: Old plant knowledge rediscovered BoD - Books on Demand, 2012, ISBN 9783844845181 , pp. 150–153 ( Google Books ).