Developing a feed program for the Stud to help ensure healthy, fit brood mares and well grown but not overtopped young stock with good bone involves combining good pasture, excellent preserved grass for the winter months and a balanced concentrate feed to complement forage. EuroBale is used by an increasing number of top studs as their preferred source of preserved grass for several key reasons:

• Haylage is a high dry matter, mildly fermented forage with consistent, confirmed nutrient analysis, determined before purchase to ensure protein, energy, fibre and minerals are at levels to complement to rest of the feeding regime
• Haylage has high levels of retained vitamins(unlike hay where vitamin levels deteriorate during storage), which are of great benefit to early foaling mares when the weather may prevent access to fresh pasture.
• EuroBale's controlled fermentation results in a natural inhibition of the moulds and spores widely found in hay. These very low spore counts are vital in managing mares with COPD and help reduce the likelihood of young animals developing allergic respiratory syndrom.
• Haylage is digestible and palatable, making it suitable for foals, weanlings and yearlings, as well as brood mares.
• Haylage is an excellent source of digestible fibre to provide condition for yearlings during sales preparation, when feeding high levels of cereals.

Advice and backup is available from experienced staff and nutritionists to help with specific feeding queries.

Typical Nutrient Analysis of EuroBale for Studs. Dry Matter Basis

High quality haylage such as EuroBale will be the major source of long fibre in the horse's daily diet and thus enough must be fed to meet the 'roughage' or digestible fibre requirements necessary to keep the gut moving properly. The minimum amount of quality haylage necessary to fulfill this purpose would be 12lbs per horse per day, split into at least two feeds, with the largest amount offered at night. For example, the horse may receive 4lbs after work and 8lbs at evening stables.

However, it must be remembered that quality haylage has a higher energy level than hay and this may result in a decision to feed more than the minimum quantity to some horses - especially those horses where more corn is not desirable.

For example, a filly who runs up light, and will not eat more than say, 10lbs concentrate, could have quality haylage increased to 14 or even 16lbs, which would give more energy for weight and work, but wouldn't give her the 'hay belly'  appearance  normally associated with increased hay intakes.

Similarly, a big backward colt being brought on slowly, and thus on a low corn ration, could have his quality haylage increased to keep his weight, but to prevent him from getting above himself in his light work.

A third example may be a horse where muscle problems occur on high corn rations. Deriving more energy from increased intakes of highly digestible quality haylage may allow the horse to be kept in work, but remain on low corn rations.

Therefore, whilst there is a minimum intake for all horses, the type of horse and the amount of corn fed will influence how much quality haylage is fed.