LaneFarms":3frtgsz4 said:
from what I understand about using the acid to prevent spoilage of hay. You bale the hay at a higher moisture content and spray the acid on the hay as it is being baled in the bale chamber. I heard that the acid will greatly reduce the life of your baler.
Wash your baler well then spray down with baking soda to neturalize the acid. If you don't, I hope you like rust!
I like Inoculants better.
This is about Alfala. A lot applies to Bermuda.
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
E-826, Chapter 11
Hay Harvesting, Handling and Storage
Ray Huhnke
Extension Agricultural Engineer
To profitably produce and market a quality forage, proper harvesting, handling and storage can mean more hay and higher quality hay. Buyers are often willing to pay a premium for high quality hay. Based on five years of Oklahoma Haymarket data, buyers paid an average of over $2.40 per ton more for each percentage point increase in protein. By not harvesting alfalfa effectively or allowing the hay to "weather", the forage quality is reduced and marketability is significantly impaired.
A critical factor to consider is that harvesting, handling, and storage can represent over 40 percent of the total cost of alfalfa hay production. These inputs can mean the difference between profit and financial failure due to the magnitude of investments.
Cutting/Conditioning
Hay quality is directly related to leaf retention because the leaves contain a higher proportion of crude protein and energy than the stems. A growing alfalfa plant contains approximately 80 percent water. When the plant is cut, it continues to respire or "breathe" until water content is reduced to about 40 percent. Below 40 percent, leaves dry at a much faster rate than stems because leaves are very thin and have a relatively large ratio of surface area to mass in comparison to stems. Because of the cell structure and surface wax layer of stems, drying occurs quite slowly. By the time the stem reaches proper moisture content for baling, the leaves may be too dry and may shatter easily.
Mechanical Conditioning
The most common method of enhancing stem drying is mechanical conditioning. Conditioners use a set of intermeshing, counter-rotating rollers which crush, bend or break stems allowing moisture to escape more easily. If the stem dries faster, the hay can be baled sooner which reduces the time hay is exposed to the weather. Conditioners also result in reduced leaf shatter during raking and baling because the leaves tend to dry at about the same rate as stems. Proper roller clearance adjustment is important, especially for roller-type conditioners. The roller spacings used for the thick stems at first cut are often not adequate for the fine stems in subsequent cuttings.
Chemical Conditioning
Another method of enhancing the rate of drying is the application of drying agents during mowing. Most drying agents are applied as sprays directed toward the stems, just before hay enters the mower-conditioner.
One of the most popular drying agents is potassium carbonate, an alkaline salt. This chemical changes the water transmitting properties of the surface wax layer allowing moisture to escape more easily. Studies show that total drying time can be cut by as much as 24 hours with the average being about 12 hours. In Oklahoma, the greatest potential for use of drying agents is during periods of poor drying conditions (low temperatures and high humidities), such as are common during the first cutting. However, some studies show the difference in drying times between treated and untreated alfalfa for the first cutting may be small because of the high volume of forage and the possibility of wet ground, which retards drying. When using chemical conditioning, the shields on mower-conditioners should be adjusted to lay the hay on the ground in a thin layer covering the full swath width. Drying agents are more effective when the hay is dried in a thin mat.
Before investing in equipment and chemicals for chemical conditioning, costs versus possible benefits should be considered. Depending on the type of drying agent and recommended application rate, chemical conditioning can cost from $3 to over $8 per ton of treated hay. In addition, the cost for applicator parts and equipment can range from $700 to over $1,200. The additional labor demand can also be a factor. Mixing and handling water and chemicals can increase total mowing time as much as 20 percent.
Raking
Raking is used to enhance uniform drying. The most common type of rake rolls and fluffs the windrow, bringing the bottom layer to the top. The rolling action exposes more of the stems while protecting the leafy portion of the plant. Hay should be raked at a moisture content above 30 percent to minimize leaf shatter. Leaf loss can be further reduced by raking during the early morning or late evening after the leaves absorb moisture from the air. As much as 15 percent dry matter can be lost if alfalfa is raked at the wrong time.
To avoid severe storage losses from excessive heating and molding, alfalfa should be baled at no higher than about 20 percent moisture content. However, alfalfa can be baled and stored successfully at higher moisture contents by using preservatives. Depending on the type of preservative, hay can be baled at moisture contents as high as 35 percent. Baling at higher moisture content reduces the time hay is exposed to weather and decreases dry matter loss because there is less leaf shatter. Minimizing leaf loss can also mean a higher crude protein content. The three most commonly used preservatives are organic acids, ammonia, and inoculants.
Organic Acids
Organic acids, such as propionic acid, can treat hay up to about 35 percent moisture content. It is sprayed onto the hay as it enters the baler. Uniform coverage is very important. Organic acids inhibit mold growth and enhance bacterial growth. One of the major drawbacks to using acids is the effect on equipment. If balers aren't cleaned properly after each use, corrosion and rust can cut the useful life of the baler in half. Another potential problem is odor. The acid vapors can be annoying, especially in poorly ventilated storages. In addition, some dairies and most horse owners will not purchase alfalfa treated with acid. Preserving alfalfa with organic acids can be expensive. Equipment and chemical costs can range from $8 to over $12 per ton.
Ammonia
Ammonia is usually applied to baled hay after it is placed in storage. Bales with up to about 30 percent moisture content are stacked and covered with polyethylene. Anhydrous ammonia is released under the cover at a rate of about two percent of hay weight. The stack is sealed for at least two weeks. Ammonia inhibits both mold growth and bacterial growth. In addition, the nitrogen content of ammonia will result in a small increase in the crude protein content of the hay. Equipment and chemical costs for using anhydrous ammonia as a preservative range from $5 to about $8 per ton of hay.
The major disadvantage of anhydrous ammonia is human and animal safety. For humans, strong concentrations can cause severe burns, blindness and death. When applied to moist hay, ammonia combines with the moisture in the hay and becomes relatively harmless. However, vapors from treated bales can be irritating, especially in poorly ventilated areas.
It has been reported that ammonia treated forages have caused toxic reactions in animals. Symptoms of the toxicity include hyper-excitability, circling, convulsions and death. Newborn calves nursing cows fed these forages are also susceptible to the toxicity. It is important that anhydrous ammonia be used with care and applied at the recommended rate. If signs of toxicity occur, the feeding of treated alfalfa should be discontinued.
Inoculants
The newest type of preservative is the inoculant. Inoculants consist of enzymes and bacteria which enhance the bacterial growth. Hay inoculants are labeled for forages up to 25 percent moisture content and are applied at the baler in liquid or granular form. Equipment and chemical cost can range from as low as $2 to over $5 per ton. Research on the effectiveness and economic benefits of inoculants has been inconclusive.
Chemical preservation can reduce field curing time and decrease losses during baling. However, before investing in equipment and chemicals, be sure to consider the additional time, labor and cost that will be required. Never use chemicals as a substitute for good management practices.
When to Bale
Optimum moisture content for baling depends on bale size. For small rectangular bales, the moisture content should be no higher than about 20 percent without preservatives. The upper limit for large bales, both rectangular and round, is about 16 percent to avoid taking special precautions to prevent excessive heating. If large round bales are stored outside and unprotected, moisture content at baling can be increased to about 20 percent.
Without the aid of an electronic moisture meter, experienced hay producers often rely on two rule-of-thumb methods for determining when alfalfa hay is dry enough to bale. One method is to take a handful of hay from the underside of the windrow and twist it. If there is no free moisture present and the stems are brittle, the hay should be in good condition for baling. If the hay is very dry and brittle, it is probably too dry to bale. When the stems appear too dry, allow the leaves to absorb moisture from the air during late evening or early morning before baling.
Scraping the epidermis or outside layer of the stem is another method used to determine when to bale. If the stem epidermis can be peeled off, the hay is too wet. If the epidermis doesn't peel away, the hay is dry enough to bale.
An electronic forage moisture meter can be a useful tool for determining proper moisture content at baling. These may be used in the windrow but are more reliable when the hay is baled. Probe from the end of rectangular bales and through the diameter of round bales. Take at least five probes of each bale and average the readings. If the readings vary more than three percentage points, take several more probes and recalculate the average. Probe several bales to account for field variations.
There are many factors that can affect a meter's accuracy. Two factors are bale density and the use of chemical conditioners. Probing bales that are very "tight" may yield readings over two points higher than the actual moisture content. Some preservatives, such as propionic acid, can increase readings as much as four percentage points. If preservatives are used and the instruction manual does not provide information on the effects of chemicals on meter performance, contact the manufacturer of the meter for additional information.
Electronic forage moisture meters can be valuable tools during baling. Use moisture meters to supplement your personal experience when making management decisions.
Small Square Bales
In Oklahoma, the most common bale type for alfalfa is the small square bale. The most popular size is 14 by 18 inches weighing between 70 and 80 pounds, depending on moisture content. Normal baling rates range from five and ten tons per hour.
In good conditions (heavy windrows and high moisture contents), leaf loss at the pickup and in the bale chamber should be less than four percent. Bale chamber losses can exceed five percent with overdry alfalfa.
Large Square Bales
Large square bales are gaining in popularity in Oklahoma. Bale size ranges from two and one-half feet square by eight feet long weighing about 750 pounds to four feet square by eight feet long weighing about 2000 pounds. Normal baling rates range from 15 to over 25 tons per hour. In some cases, the smoothness of the field dictates ground speed. Large square bales are becoming the preferred bale type for many large dairies in Oklahoma and surrounding states. The major disadvantage of large square bales is baler cost, which can be as much as three times the cost for small square or large round balers.
There have been no university studies on leaf loss from large square balers. However, informal estimates and observations suggest losses are comparable to small square balers.
Large Round Bales
Large round bales were introduced in Oklahoma in the early 1970s. The popularity of these bales can be attributed to low labor demand. Common bale sizes range from four feet diameter by four feet long weighing about 600 pounds to six feet diameter by six feet long weighing about 2000 pounds. Normal baling rates range from eight to 16 tons per hour. Most large, round balers are comparable in price to small rectangular balers.
In overdry hay, alfalfa leafless can be as high as 10 percent at the pickup and 25 percent in the baling chamber. Under optimum conditions, total losses can be held to about five percent. Bale chamber losses can be minimized by using high feed rates that reduce the time a bale is being formed.
Handling and Transportation
Bale handling and transportation are important factors when choosing bale type. For small square bales, the most common field-handling method consists of a pop-up loader attached to a flat-bed truck. Bales are taken to storage or loaded onto a semi-trailer for shipping. Field loading rate is about 1.5 tons per man-hour. At least two persons are needed for loading. Because custom haulers and locally hired laborers are becoming increasingly difficult to employ, some alfalfa producers with large acreages are now using automatic bale wagon systems. An automatic bale wagon with one operator can replace a three-man crew.
High labor requirements and increasing costs of hand hauling have caused some commercial growers to abandon their small square bale operation for a large bale package such as large rectangular bales. Large rectangular bales are loaded onto flat-bed trucks or semi-trailers directly in the field at about 20 tons per man-hour. Commercial haulers prefer large square bales over small square bales because they can drive into a field and be loaded for a cross-country trip in less than an hour.
Transportation can be a major problem with large round bales. Interstate hauling regulations limit load widths to 8 1/2 feet. In Oklahoma, commercial hay haulers are allowed to transport a load of round bales up to 11 feet in width, during daylight hours only, after securing a special oversize-load permit.
Storage
Under-Roof
Most alfalfa hay in square bales (small and large) is stored in barns. Commercial hay producers prefer enclosed barns to retain color and minimize storage losses.
Under-roof storages with one or more sides open are also popular, especially for round bales. Open sides are usually away from prevailing winds. Hay is stacked tight along open sides and at the top to prevent rain and snow from blowing into the building. Barns and under-roof storages should be located on a well-drained site and as close to feeding areas as possible.
Dry matter losses in enclosed barns are usually less than two percent during the first nine months in storage, while losses in under-roof storages can be as high as five percent (Table 10). Losses in forage quality, such as crude protein and fiber, are negligible. The major drawback to barns and under-roof buildings is cost. Initial cost of construction can range from about $2 to over $6 per square foot. Building payback time could take over ten years, depending on the cost of the structure and hay prices.
Table 10. Percent dry matter loss of baled alfalfa hay.
Storage Period
Storage
Method Up to 9 months 12 to 18 months
Barn < 2 2 - 5
Under-roof 2 - 5 3 - 10
Under Cover 4 - 15 10 - 30
Outside and
unprotected 6 - 25 15 - 50
Covers
Covering bales with plastic or tarps is another storage option, especially for round bales. However, dry matter losses can range as high as 15 percent for alfalfa stored up to nine months under a cover on the ground, depending on weather, soil conditions and bale density. Research has shown that 10 percent losses that occur without covers can be saved by setting the bales on pallets, racks, fence posts or railroad ties.
Cost of hay covers, not including labor, can range from less than $2 to over $7 per ton, depending on type of cover and size of stack. Covers often require continual attention for repairing tears and re-securing tie-downs, especially during periods of high winds.
Bales Stored Outside and Unprotected
Because of their shape and ability to shed precipitation, large round bales are often stored outside and unprotected. Research shows, however, dry matter losses can reach 25 percent, depending on bale quality and storage conditions (Table 10). Serious deterioration is usually confined to the outside four to eight inches of the bale. In a five feet diameter bale, the outer eight inches represent about half of the bale's volume. The depth or thickness of weathering depends on many factors including the amount of rainfall during the storage period, condition of alfalfa when baled, bale shape and density.
If bales are stored outside and unprotected, there are several guidelines that should be followed to minimize hay loss. The storage site should be well-drained, not shaded and open to breezes (to enhance drying after rains). Bales should be well-shaped and as dense as possible. Butt bales end-to-end in rows oriented north-south and provide at least three feet of space between rows. This is especially important in high rainfall areas. Bale orientation and row spacing help maintain dry conditions around the bales by allowing the penetration of solar radiation. Keep grass and weeds mowed between rows. Plan to use unprotected bales by March 1 because spring rains and warm temperatures can cause substantial losses in dry matter and forage quality.
