haylage

[hillrancher]

Went to a haylage demo. yeasterday I have very mixed feelings about haylage. I have had in my mind to do some haylage, but after the demo. not sure. The cost of equipmnt for samller operatin don't think will pay out within 5 years. I have always never purchased anything that would not pay out in 5 years. The labor was very demanding. It will take 3 tractors and really need 3 people or more to get it done in the time frame they expressed.
If any one is feeding haylage would like your input.
thanks

 

[Angus Cowman]

unless you are doing large quantities you would be better off having someone wrap it for you

I had mine wrapped last yr then I found a single bale wrapper that Jed and I purchased together and got a really good deal on
a single will cost more in wrap but after having the inline done last yr I like the flexibilty of the single because if I want to feed just a few bales to some calves say in september then I don't have to worry about losing several more bales because I opened the tube up

I have put up rye for baleage and we put up oats down at Jeds this yr, we have done between 750-800 bales so far this yr and I will probably do a couple hundred more

as for time between wrapping and baling I have heard what the experts say that it needs to be wrapped as soon as it is baled but from the guys who do it all the time they say if you can get it wrapped within 24 hrs of being baled they haven't seen any loss from that what was baled and wrapped the same day

The moisture is more critical than the time from what I have seen

you getting rain down around Mtn Home HR
optimum is 45% but anywhere from 35-60% works
I prefer baling it at 50% or less as you get better bales

 

[bigbull338]

you cant go wrong putting up hayledge.but i would not put it up in the 200ft long tubes.been there done that an it didnt work.but that was back in 80 when those things 1st came out.you can cut in the am an start baling after lunch.an start running the wrapper after you get a bales rolled.you need atlest 4 ppl to make things run real smooth.

 

[TexasBred]

Went to a haylage demo. yeasterday I have very mixed feelings about haylage. I have had in my mind to do some haylage, but after the demo. not sure. The cost of equipmnt for samller operatin don't think will pay out within 5 years. I have always never purchased anything that would not pay out in 5 years. The labor was very demanding. It will take 3 tractors and really need 3 people or more to get it done in the time frame they expressed.
If any one is feeding haylage would like your input.
thanks

As you said, requires more equipment and more labor....and wait til you start feeding it..cutting plastic, cutting baling twine, disposing of plastic...silage juice all over you.....nasty as he$$ but cows love it. Just remember it takes about 3 lbs. of baleage to equal 1 lb. of hay.

 

[Jogeephus]

I do some tube haylage and I put up a good bit of hay and I will say the wrapper is a godsend when you can't get favorable weather. I'll wrap it on the edge of the field so it doesn't take but two people to do it this way - ideally but one could do it. It also doesn't require any more equipment other than the wrapper. I don't think it will pencil out and pay for itself in five years unless you are putting up over 2000 rolls per year. Just like an irrigation pays for itself when not in use I think the wrapper is the same way. Feeding the baylage is a sloppy mess with a lot of trash needing disposing. Its hard on equipment cause its so heavy. Cows love it. Did I mention it was a godsend during rainy summers if there is such a thing anymore.

 

[kenny thomas]

I have a baler that will bale it and a friend has a tube wrapper that I can use for free, but I do everything myself so I do not have the labor to try it. AC or Jogeephus what is the cost per bale to wrap it. Looked like about $3 to me. I do know the cows love it.

 

[mikegahr]

AC what is the going rate for custom wrapping.

 

[Angus Cowman]

on the tube wrappers like Jo is using guys are charging 6-7
on the singles it is running between 7-8
and that is with the customer supplying the tractor to load the bales

KT on the tubelines the wrap is running about $3 pr bale and with the single bale wrapper my cost is running about $4.25 for the wrap
with the tubeline I think you can average about 70 bales per hr and with the single I am wrapping about 20-22 pr hr

 

[Angus Cowman]

I have a baler that will bale it and a friend has a tube wrapper that I can use for free, but I do everything myself so I do not have the labor to try it. AC or Jogeephus what is the cost per bale to wrap it. Looked like about $3 to me. I do know the cows love it.

KT with the tube wrapper 1 person CAN do it it is just a little slower
I know one guy that does it by himself and he gets along fine

 

[Jogeephus]

Kenny, I think $3 is a good figure. I think the rolls of plastic last year worked out to be around two something a bale then there was a little gas to run it. When I use it it does not cost me anything out of my pocket. The owner and I trade out different things and help each other when we get in a real bind. Seems to work well for us since neither seems to complain or abuse the other. I'm glad I have a wrapper when I need it but I'm also glad I don't own it and wrap often but it sure is nice to have one when you need one. If I rolled a lot of millet or heavy coarse stemmed grasses I'd own one myself.

 

[mikegahr]

Does anybody in Arkansas rent the single bale wrapper.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Does anybody in Arkansas rent the single bale wrapper.

I don't know of anyone renting one but Jed might come wrap some for ya if he has time

 

[kenny thomas]

Does anybody in Arkansas rent the single bale wrapper.

I don't know of anyone renting one but Jed might come wrap some for ya if he has time

Or he could send Johnny. :cowboy:

 

[hillrancher]

Does anybody in Arkansas rent the single bale wrapper.

This is the reason I have in my mind to buy one there is none to rent or anyone to hire. I would use one now and after the days got hot and dry most likely would not.

 

[kenny thomas]

on the tube wrappers like Jo is using guys are charging 6-7
on the singles it is running between 7-8
and that is with the customer supplying the tractor to load the bales

KT on the tubelines the wrap is running about $3 pr bale and with the single bale wrapper my cost is running about $4.25 for the wrap
with the tubeline I think you can average about 70 bales per hr and with the single I am wrapping about 20-22 pr hr

Let me get this right, it takes about 3 bales of haylage to get the same dry matter as one bale of dry hay. At $7-8 per bale to wrap you have $21-$24 per dry matter bale. Think I will just wait and put mine in the barn. I do understand the need with certain crops but with common grass hay don't guess it will work for me. Maybe high quality dairy hay but not the junk I roll.

 

[Angus Cowman]

on the tube wrappers like Jo is using guys are charging 6-7
on the singles it is running between 7-8
and that is with the customer supplying the tractor to load the bales

KT on the tubelines the wrap is running about $3 pr bale and with the single bale wrapper my cost is running about $4.25 for the wrap
with the tubeline I think you can average about 70 bales per hr and with the single I am wrapping about 20-22 pr hr

Let me get this right, it takes about 3 bales of haylage to get the same dry matter as one bale of dry hay. At $7-8 per bale to wrap you have $21-$24 per dry matter bale. Think I will just wait and put mine in the barn. I do understand the need with certain crops but with common grass hay don't guess it will work for me. Maybe high quality dairy hay but not the junk I roll.

Well I guess TB's numbers would be accurate if both the haylage and the dry bales weighed the same

mine should have a dry matter weight of around 770lbs pr bale
and my dry hay will have a dry matter of around 820lbs so there is only 50lbs different in the actual dry matter of the 2
TB would be correct if both of the finished bales weighed the same

 

[Jogeephus]

Does anybody in Arkansas rent the single bale wrapper.

This is the reason I have in my mind to buy one there is none to rent or anyone to hire. I would use one now and after the days got hot and dry most likely would not.

I can't remember what year it was but about 8 years ago I couldn't get hay dry to save my life. I fluffed one field seven times and ended up giving up and setting fire to it. That year I wished I owned one and it would have paid for itself easily.

 

[kenny thomas]

on the tube wrappers like Jo is using guys are charging 6-7
on the singles it is running between 7-8
and that is with the customer supplying the tractor to load the bales

KT on the tubelines the wrap is running about $3 pr bale and with the single bale wrapper my cost is running about $4.25 for the wrap
with the tubeline I think you can average about 70 bales per hr and with the single I am wrapping about 20-22 pr hr

Let me get this right, it takes about 3 bales of haylage to get the same dry matter as one bale of dry hay. At $7-8 per bale to wrap you have $21-$24 per dry matter bale. Think I will just wait and put mine in the barn. I do understand the need with certain crops but with common grass hay don't guess it will work for me. Maybe high quality dairy hay but not the junk I roll.

Well I guess TB's numbers would be accurate if both the haylage and the dry bales weighed the same

mine should have a dry matter weight of around 770lbs pr bale
and my dry hay will have a dry matter of around 820lbs so there is only 50lbs different in the actual dry matter of the 2
TB would be correct if both of the finished bales weighed the same

Now that makes more sense. I did not take into account the heavier weight of the haylage.

 

[TexasBred]

AC guess I was a little vague....Anytime i speak of feeding anything I'm talking about "pounds fed" on an "as fed" basis. As you said, bale weight vary tremendously so just need to speak in lbs. Baleage being at least 3 times as high in moisture requires that we feed three times as much to get the same amount of dry matter. Some of it will be even higher in moisture and require even a higher feeding rate. A lot of dairies in this area feed it but don't know of any beef operations feeding it although it would work well if you have the equipment to handle it. Personally I'd probably just cut it like silage and put it in a bunke silo and feed it like silage.

 

[Angus Cowman]

AC guess I was a little vague....Anytime i speak of feeding anything I'm talking about "pounds fed" on an "as fed" basis. As you said, bale weight vary tremendously so just need to speak in lbs. Baleage being at least 3 times as high in moisture requires that we feed three times as much to get the same amount of dry matter. Some of it will be even higher in moisture and require even a higher feeding rate. A lot of dairies in this area feed it but don't know of any beef operations feeding it although it would work well if you have the equipment to handle it. Personally I'd probably just cut it like silage and put it in a bunke silo and feed it like silage.

That would work on a confinement operation but in a pasture setting like I have
that requires even more equipment and more labor than baling it and more expense at feeding time also
There isn't many custom choppers around here and they are usually backed up and then you have the expense of hauling it from the chopper to the silo and then the expense of packing it down also
so chopping in this area is ALOT more expensive than the baling

IMO feeeding a whole diet ration consisting of sileage isn't feasible for a beef operation just like growing and feeding alfalfa in my part of the country isn't feasible either
but if you feed it as a supplement it works very well and I can see the difference in my cows and calves in the winter
If I was a spring calver I probably wouldn't use sileage but since my cows are carrying a calf and breeding in Nov -Jan I can see the benefit of it