High moisture/silage bales

Help Support CattleToday:

Amo

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2010
Messages
485
Reaction score
13
Location
Chambers, NE (125 miles W. of Souix City IA or 110
So I bought some millet (pearl I think)bales. They were baled at 27% moisture and wrapped in a long tube, not individually. I got a semi load and they are not wrapped anymore, just net wrap. Feeding a bale a day, and with the cold weather I think I'll be fine. Nitrates at time of baling were 1700ppm, which is high. Fermentation should take care of a chunk of that, but it's also why I'm trying to keep it at 40% of their diet.

So considering another load. It has the tobacco smell and they are eating it well. I'm not concerned about heat damaged protein, 14% and 105rfv I think. Mostly shelf life/palatability April through May as the temps warm up. I've never fed anything like this and neither has the feed man. We kinda think it'd work, but then if they get to not wanting it, then what do I do. I don't grind hay anymore. I do use a processor. Other option is alfalfa or alfalfa/orchard grass mix. That's awesome feed, but about $80 a ton more too.

TIA
 
I've never dealt with bale's unwrapped for very long. Wrapped ones can keep at least a couple years in my experience. Unwrapped I wouldn't want to chance it myself
 
SOB's response would be my advice.

In my experience three things can happen:
1. the bale dries out and becomes less palatable
2. the heat speeds up spoilage and becomes less palatable
3. the bale was properly "ensiled" and the bale remains relatively fine

Really becomes a question of what your stomach for risk is :)
 

Latest posts

Top