Sophie Hartley
Choosing Between Hay and Haylage
The decision comes down to your weather, your kit and your livestock. Hay is grass dried to below 15% moisture, baled and stored loose in a barn. It needs three to five consecutive dry days in the UK, which is a big ask. Haylage is grass wilted to a higher moisture — usually 45–60% for big bales and 35–45% for small bales — then wrapped in plastic so it ferments anaerobically. It needs only one or two dry days.
Haylage suits smallholders with unpredictable rain. It is quicker, less dusty and often more palatable. But it costs more in plastic, must be used within a few days of opening, and spoiled bales are a write-off. Hay is cheaper to store, lasts longer once opened and is easier to sell. For horses with respiratory issues, haylage is often kinder. For sheep and cattle, either works well if quality is good.
Cutting at the Right Stage
Cut when the grass is at ear emergence — before the seed heads open fully. Ryegrass, timothy and meadow fescue are at their best then: high sugar, good protein, digestible fibre. Leave it too late and stems lignify, so feed value drops. Cut too early and yields are light.
Watch the forecast. For hay, you want a settled spell of at least four days. For haylage, a two-day window is enough, but rain still dilutes sugars and can introduce mould. Mow in the morning once dew has lifted, and set the cutter bar to leave 5–7 cm of stubble. Scalping the ground brings soil into the swath, which risks listeria and botulism in haylage. Keep blades sharp.
Wilting, Tedding and Turning
Tedding is the smallholder’s best friend. It spreads the swath so sun and wind dry the grass evenly. Ted two to four hours after cutting, then every four to six hours on a good drying day. A haybob or tedder does the job; on a tiny plot, a hand rake and patience work too.
Test moisture by feel. For hay, twist a handful: stems should crack, not bend. For haylage, the grass should feel cool and damp, with stems that still bend. A moisture meter takes the guesswork out. Row up in the late afternoon, before dew falls. If rain threatens, bale haylage rather than risk ruining hay.
Baling at the Correct Moisture
This is where most smallholders come unstuck. Bale at the wrong moisture and you get mould, heating or spoilage.
- Hay: 14–16% moisture
- Big bale haylage: 45–60% moisture, at least four layers of wrap
- Small bale haylage: 35–45% moisture, six layers of wrap
Wrap within six to twelve hours of baling, ideally the same day. Make bales tight and dense to exclude air. If hay gets rained on, turn it again and let it dry. Rain-damaged hay is dusty and low in energy, but it can still be fed to cattle or used as bedding. Never feed mouldy hay to horses.
Storage and Aftercare
Hay needs a ventilated barn. Stack bales on pallets, off the floor, with gaps between rows for air. Check for heating after two or three days: if the stack feels hot, pull it apart and let it cool. Warm hay smells sweet and toasty; hot hay smells scorched and is dangerous.
Haylage bales should be stacked on flat, well-drained ground, away from hedges and trees where rodents gnaw plastic. Two or three high is plenty. Check wraps weekly for holes and repair with silage tape. Do not open a bale for at least six weeks so fermentation completes.
Once opened, use haylage within three to five days in warm weather, or up to a week in winter. Mouldy haylage — white or grey fuzz, musty smell — goes on the muck heap, not in the feeder.
Feeding and Risk Management
Introduce any new forage gradually over one to two weeks. Haylage is often richer than hay, so watch for loose droppings or weight gain. Feed by weight, not by eye. A 500 kg horse might get 8–10 kg of haylage per day, adjusted for condition and work.
Mouldy hay causes respiratory disease in horses and can abort sheep. Haylage carries a small risk of listeria and botulism, especially if soil or dead rodents enter the bale. Avoid cutting below 5 cm, do not mow muddy fields, and wilt quickly to reduce risk. Test your forage for energy, protein and minerals if you can.
With care, a smallholding can make excellent winter feed. Watch the sky, feel the grass, and bale at the right moment. Your animals will thank you in February.
