# How long does haylage keep if unopened?



## SpruceRI (15 July 2010)

If you buy haylage and store it outside, unopened/undamaged, how long will it last/be nutritional/not go off?


Thanks


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## poodle20 (15 July 2010)

Hi, from what I got told by my supplier, so long as the wrapper isn't torn, got holes in it, it will last for up to 12 months so long as the air hasn't got to it.  Hope that helps.  If this is shop bought haylage, i.e. the smaller bags there should be a sell/use by date on it.


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## soot (15 July 2010)

In the recent heat, however, my small bale shop haylage went off within two weeks (well before use by date!) ... sadly YO burnt it all before I could take it in for a refund


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## SpruceRI (15 July 2010)

Ooh.... only I have just bought ordered a load of last years' crop for this winter - eek!

Is this not going to work?

Last batch of small bales I bought from my feed store, was much damper/stronger smelling than usual and had big patches of white mould through it.  I wasn't sure whether it was OK.... dug out the mouldy bits and fed the rest.

The ponies still munched it OK.

I sort of thought that white mould was OK, but any other mould wasn't?  But still didn't want to give it to them.

Anyone advise?

Thank you


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## poodle20 (15 July 2010)

I thought that it was O.K so long as the air hadn't got to it.  Perhaps you could speak to your supplier and ask them, I am not feeding haylage this winter just hay, which I have already bought, but if I had been feeding haylage I would have bought it in bulk cos my supplier has said that it will keep for 12 months if the wrapper is in tact.  Maybe it has something to do with how wet the cut grass is when they wrap it.  The haylage we had last winter was lovely, no mould at all.  Don't really know about white mould.  Sorry not much help.  Haven't you got a farmer near by that you could ask.


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## SpruceRI (15 July 2010)

poodle20 said:



			I thought that it was O.K so long as the air hadn't got to it.  Perhaps you could speak to your supplier and ask them, I am not feeding haylage this winter just hay, which I have already bought, but if I had been feeding haylage I would have bought it in bulk cos my supplier has said that it will keep for 12 months if the wrapper is in tact.  Maybe it has something to do with how wet the cut grass is when they wrap it.  The haylage we had last winter was lovely, no mould at all.  Don't really know about white mould.  Sorry not much help.  Haven't you got a farmer near by that you could ask.
		
Click to expand...

Thanks

I've just rung the supplier of the new stuff and he said as long as the bag isn't punctured it will be fine for this winter.

I didn't feel I could ask him about the mould seeing as it wasn't his haylage that had it.... he might think I'm a fussy old bag and not worth bothering with !!


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## poodle20 (15 July 2010)

Oh good, glad you got it sorted.


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## Maesfen (15 July 2010)

We've still got 14 bales left from last year so I'm hoping it'll be alright, all the farmers I've spoken to seem to think it'll be fine if it's not been punctured; some said don't move it around too much either but you're not going to roll big bale haylage around anyway are you!


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## Kallibear (15 July 2010)

We got a mixture of that years and the previous years haylage last winter. The previous years hayledge was far nicer (last years hayledge was wet cos of the terrible weather)


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## Victorianm (15 July 2010)

white mould happens when the bale has heated, there may have been a small amount of grass which was a little too green to be baled. this can happen for e.g in hay when freshly baled some people bring into the shed  too soon after baling, its best to leave freshly baled bales out for a few days as bales that heat up will ause fires


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## happihorse (15 July 2010)

I've bought Horsehage before and kept it 3 years before using it and it was fine.  However, it was stored inside.


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## Ditchjumper2 (15 July 2010)

I have always understood that the white mould is fine.  I always pull the white bits off and spread them around to dry then feed, no problem.  Its the black bits that you have to watch out for because that is what causes the botulism which can be lethal.

As the others have said as long as wrapper not punctured it should be fine.  You will soon tell if it is not right.


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## SpruceRI (16 July 2010)

Thank you all for your replies.

Am much relieved  )


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