Advice needed on haylage

[alisonduke]

Our yard made some haylage this year and it has been a pain in the "you know what" for all the horse owners because I think the yard thought we would all be buying it plus they pushed all my feed bins and grooming kit out of the storage to make room for it!
The liveries who normally use haylage are still going to buy from a reputable buyer but have been told they will have to store it outside!! There is question over whether the hay/haylage from the yard has ragwort in it (at least 2 people had to pick ragwort up from the field edges where the hay was grown, although the field itself was sprayed) so maybe it is safe???
A friend of mine on the yard has bought a bale of haylage to use and the bale was open a couple of days when it started to heat up really badly. I advised her not to use it but what causes this to happen and is it likely to keep happening in which case none of use would want to buy the haylage and then have to throw it away.
I feel a bit trapped really as there isn't enough yard hay to go round either and with talk of ragwort in it, I am scared to use it anyway but the yard isn't going to make room for us to store our own and with the yard owner using it for her own horses, surely she wouldn't feed anything with ragwort in?
The haylage is supposedly being sent off to be tested but that doesn't seem to be happening now.
If I sent samples of both off to be tested, where would I send it? Is there anyway of checking for botulism and traces of ragwort?

The yard down the road is sounding more and more appealing with it allowing you to feed your own hay and use whatever bedding you like (we HAVE to use shavings where I am) but they have no spaces

[JoM]

Haylege does heat up. Its perfectly normal. I'm sure I read somewhere about some spontaniously compusting - but could be wrong. If you unwrap the full bale it will stop it heating up as quickly. I think it is to do with the fermentation within the bale. As long as the fermentation that sits on it is white and not reddy/ purple then it is fine. Reddy/ purple denotes it is going, or has gone off and shouldnt be fed.

I'm sorry - I cant help with your other questions!

[shaklana]

also, how old is it? i wouldn't feed haylage less than 12weeks old so it has used up most of the air and sugars fermenting. bales that look shrink wrapped show good fermentation has occured.

[harveydales]

If it is this year's haylage I really wouldn't want to use it yet.

It is true, it does tend to heat quickly once opened in the summer, not so bad in the winter. I've had to chuck a couple of bales recently due to heating. I'm now feeding Harvey our new hay which I feel is better for him than haylage anyway.

Having seen the ragwort on some of the paddocks (not the one Bill is I hasten to add!) I would be a little concerned even though it has been sprayed. Although, as you say, I'm sure the YO wouldn't risk feeding or selling "dodgey hay/hayage". But how unfair that you aren't allowed storage space for your own hay though.