A fermented forage crop, usually grass or alfalfa, cut and allowed to wilt to around 40 to 60 percent moisture before being baled and tightly wrapped in plastic. The anaerobic environment causes mild fermentation, preserving the nutrients and increasing palatability for livestock. It is less dusty than dry hay and less prone to spoiling than wetter silages.
The horses are doing much better on the haylage this winter since it keeps the dust down in the barn.
A puncture in the plastic wrap will let oxygen in, causing the bale to mold and become toxic to livestock.
Related terms
Silo
A tall, cylindrical storage structure used to ferment and store high-moisture forage crops.
Haymaker
A machine or farm worker dedicated to cutting, drying, and baling grass for livestock feed.
Roughage
Fibrous, bulky animal feed such as hay, straw, or pasture grass.
Oatlage
A fermented livestock feed made by chopping and ensiling whole oat plants.