Hay waste

[regenwether]

While the debate on which way to go - buy your hay or do it your self. I think there is an important fact over looked. Waste!

Two different area's. Hay feeder and exposure to the elements.

There can be an extreme difference in Hay feeders. Also putting too many hay feeders out for the number of cattle.

I'm storing more and more hay inside. The difference in quality is amazing.

Why spend money on Potash if your going to waste a 1/3 of a bale

 

[novaman]

How does waste factor into the discussion of buying versus making your own? Having a lot of waste doesn't make any difference on whether to buy or make, in my opinion.

 

[Angus Cowman]

How does waste factor into the discussion of buying versus making your own? Having a lot of waste doesn't make any difference on whether to buy or make, in my opinion.

agree

 

[novatech]

Could it be that if you don't bother conserving hay then wasting money on buying or doing your own should not be a concern either?

 

[1982vett]

While the debate on which way to go - buy your hay or do it your self. I think there is an important fact over looked. Waste!

Two different area's. Hay feeder and exposure to the elements.

There can be an extreme difference in Hay feeders. Also putting too many hay feeders out for the number of cattle.

I'm storing more and more hay inside. The difference in quality is amazing.

Why spend money on Potash if your going to waste a 1/3 of a bale

Full circle question... ...if the waste is put back into the soil...is it really wasted or is it soil conditioning/fertilizer? If it is soil conditioning/fertilizer was the hay really wasted? :?

If I could buy $25 - $35 a roll hay that many claim they pay. If my cows could live on that hay without supplementation... If that hay was readily available all the times.......I'd darn sure stop baling my own.

 

[novatech]

Now we get into the value of the hay as a soil amendment. Is it 12% protein which would definitly be a plus at $25 or just trash hay adding nothing but more weeds.
Then there is a cost in tilling up that old spot where nothing grows until it rots. Personally I prefer the cows spread it more evenly across the place. It hasn't always worked out that way but thats what I a'm shooting for. Actually I'm shooting for no hay feeding at all.
I have always had this wierd notion that the cows are suposed to work for me.

 

[hayray]

Hey guys, if you read the original post it was not about wheather to buy hay or not, it was noted that that was a previous debate but a concurrent discussion on waste during feeding would also be feasible. I think it is a good topic and there has been alot of research showing that some producers actually waste half of the hay they feed. While we are at it, storage on top of all this is important also. Some research has shown a 50% loss just in storage. I think a further point can be made that if a producer is having major losses in storage and feeding then that could offset savings/losses of buying/producing hay. On my farm I stack and tarp hay using the silage plastic weighed down with ropes and tires. I can get two years out of the plastic if I treat it right. For feeding I think using a electric wire to gauge access seems to work better for me then a round feeder as well as economically better and way easier on my labor and time. I still feed some hay in round feeders also.

 

[bigbull338]

my hay waste is 0,mainly because we use bale feeders.the only real waste is when its a junk bale of hay,an the cows wont eat it all.

 

[highgrit]

I buy good hay out of the field and put it in my barn. I almost have 0 waste until I take it out and put it in the hay rings. My bulls and cows push and lift the hay rings up and waste alot of hay. I guess I need to find out what kind of hay rings big bull uses. I been experimenting with building hay trailers so far haven't found it to be any better, just easier to move around.

 

[TexasBred]

my hay waste is 0,mainly because we use bale feeders.the only real waste is when its a junk bale of hay,an the cows wont eat it all.

Ok buddy...you earned this one. :bs: :bs:

 

[regenwether]

Thank you Hayray! :roll: This post has nothing to do with buying or selling hay. Waste is waste. You can rational it any way you want....It cost you money! I'd much rather my cows spread that hay thru manure than a sloppy hay feeder.

A lot of guys in my area aren't even messing with round bale feeders. They tub grind thier hay mix it with some DDG's. Makes a great ration. They say it cuts way back on the amount of hay needed. I'm not there yet. I'll get a TMR in a few years

 

[TexasBred]

Thank you Hayray! :roll: This post has nothing to do with buying or selling hay. Waste is waste. You can rational it any way you want....It cost you money! I'd much rather my cows spread that hay thru manure than a sloppy hay feeder.

A lot of guys in my area aren't even messing with round bale feeders. They tub grind thier hay mix it with some DDG's. Makes a great ration. They say it cuts way back on the amount of hay needed. I'm not there yet. I'll get a TMR in a few years

Once they grind the hay and mix it with ddg what is the feeding method?? Are you talking about feeding dry ddg or wet?? Study TMRs and "shrink" in great detail before you decide you need one.

 

[novatech]

Hey guys, if you read the original post it was not about wheather to buy hay or not, it was noted that that was a previous debate but a concurrent discussion on waste during feeding would also be feasible. I think it is a good topic and there has been alot of research showing that some producers actually waste half of the hay they feed. While we are at it, storage on top of all this is important also. Some research has shown a 50% loss just in storage. I think a further point can be made that if a producer is having major losses in storage and feeding then that could offset savings/losses of buying/producing hay. On my farm I stack and tarp hay using the silage plastic weighed down with ropes and tires. I can get two years out of the plastic if I treat it right. For feeding I think using a electric wire to gauge access seems to work better for me then a round feeder as well as economically better and way easier on my labor and time. I still feed some hay in round feeders also.

Getting the hay off the ground when storing or feeding will save more than covering. The amount of loss will also be dependant on the amount of rain and the humidity level. The % loss will also be dependant on how long the hay has been stored. This year around here you don't need a barn, no rain. The tighter the role the less moisture and air penetration. Feeding hay in a feeder off the ground is helpful. Feeding only what they need will aid in savings. A bale unroller and only putting out what they need is best. (Assuming you are feeding rounds.) Quality of hay also plays a role. Cattle will eat high quality, palatable hay a lot better than the no count stuff. You do not need to supplement the hay if it is at the proper protein level for the cattle you are feeding. The economics of that is wither the fertilizer is cheaper than the supplement or the other way around.

 

[dun]

We lost about 1/2 of a third of the hay we put up this year. When the hay barn blew down we ended up with a couple of real soakers and I had moved most the hay out of the way and didn;t cover it. The stuff I covered outside is a little funky for an inch or so on the bottom but the rest of it is really nice. Even still has good color

 

[hayray]

I disagree with that statement. while getting hay off the ground will save hay your major rot comes from weather from rain, tarping by far is more important than getting hay off the ground. Stack the hay in a high spot and tarp it. Sitting on the ground on a dry spot and tarping you hardly have any waste on the bottom.

 

[novatech]

I disagree with that statement. while getting hay off the ground will save hay your major rot comes from weather from rain, tarping by far is more important than getting hay off the ground. Stack the hay in a high spot and tarp it. Sitting on the ground on a dry spot and tarping you hardly have any waste on the bottom.

Could be the type of ground. Wet ground under the bale does not dry out and will continue to rot. The moisture creeps up the bale due to wicking. Whereas rain on top of a good tight bale will run off not holding water so much. The tops of mine are hardly affected, we have had very little rain. The bottoms are bad about 6" in from the bottom, with very little rain. My soil is clay and does not drain well. If stored on a sandy soil or gravel I would expect to have less loss on the bottom.

 

[hayray]

Your moisture and humidity must be pretty low. In our climate it is a huge loss not to cover bales. You only need to loose a couple inches on the perimeter to get a 30% loss.

 

[TexasBred]

Your moisture and humidity must be pretty low. In our climate it is a huge loss not to cover bales. You only need to loose a couple inches on the perimeter to get a 30% loss.

We have a world of humidity and where Nova lives it's even higher and in normal years gets more rain than we do. Bales do not rot on top. Maybe we bail it tigher or it's the type grass we grow, but it cn rain for a week and bales won't be wet a half inch deep on top and then it dries out...but you can expect to lose 4-6 inches off the bottom anytime you sit it on the ground.

 

[hayray]

I would think that the incidence of solar radiation that far south is a huge factor in baking the top of the bales and preventing rot.

 

[novaman]

This post has nothing to do with buying or selling hay.

So what does this say?

While the debate on which way to go - buy your hay or do it your self.