Jeanne - I Reorganized The Hay Rolls

[Bright Raven]

We got 2 inches of rain since the hay was brought in. I reorganized the rolls into rows that do not touch. There was a lot of moisture where the two rolls touched on the sides. This will save some hay.

 

[True Grit Farms]

We got 2 inches of rain since the hay was brought in. I reorganized the rolls into rows that do not touch. There was a lot of moisture where the two rolls touched on the sides. This will save some hay.

Supposedly there's a 4-7% loss of hay because the are touching on the ends. A lot of hay stored outside around here has about a foot between the next roll. I've never tried it, I have enough problems trying to keep the rows straight already.

 

[Bright Raven]

We got 2 inches of rain since the hay was brought in. I reorganized the rolls into rows that do not touch. There was a lot of moisture where the two rolls touched on the sides. This will save some hay.

Supposedly there's a 4-7% loss of hay because the are touching on the ends. A lot of hay stored outside around here has about a foot between the next roll. I've never tried it, I have enough problems trying to keep the rows straight already.

She mentioned that the rows should not be side by side. What you are saying is they should not touch end to end. That would be a problem because I would run out of fences off space.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Even if you aren’t willing or able to make the investment to keep hay off of the ground, there are still options to protect hay stored on the ground. A little attention to some simple issues can make a difference. Here’s how.

Move your round bales to your storage location soon as possible after baling. Thatch formation is a what helps keep moisture out. Once thatch is formed, moving the bale disrupts the thatch, requiring its reformation to keep out moisture. More good hay is required to replace it.
Put the bales in long north-south rows. The north-south orientation allows maximum drying. Once hay is baled, moisture is its enemy.
Butt the bales end to end. Tightly! End to end bales will thatch as a single roll and reduce the loss on the ends. Reducing end spoilage by two inches per end per roll saves a four foot wide bale of hay for every thirteen rolls in the line.
Leave space between the rows of rolls, preferably three feet. Again, this allows hay to dry out ASAP after dew or rain fall.
Run the rows up and down the slope, not across it, to minimize runoff blockage. Rows stacked across the slope will trap moisture as it moves downslope.
Don’t store round rolls under trees! Everybody wants to leave as much hayfield in grass as possible, but trees prevent drying.
Make sure bale stacks are not in areas subject to flooding. Sounds obvious, but in the last year, we’ve seen flooding in lots of new places.
Leave the top of the hill for lightning strikes. Florida is lightning country, and you don’t want your hay supply going up in smoke. You’ll be losing enough to other weather factors

Quoted from here:
http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/phag/201 ... s-outside/

 

[True Grit Farms]

Leave 2 rolls a foot apart at the far ends and see what you think next spring Ron. I've personally tried it and the rolls that are not touching look and smell better. I don't know that it's better but the bale won't be moldy and wet on the ends.

 

[M.Magis]

I’ve tried both ways and its about a wash for me most of the time. The key to end to end is they have to be TIGHT together, and the bales have to be rolled tight. Looser bales do better separated.

 

[1982vett]

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=99785&p=1270959&hilit=Storing+hay#p1270959

This is how I used to store outside. I think the jam up tight opposed to space between individual bales will depend on rainfall. How much and frequency. I ran out of storage space once and stored jam up in rows and uncovered and on the ground for like September to December. Had quite a bit of spoilage where water penitrated and couldn’t dry out. A lot more from ground contact. Hard to say if leaving space would have been better.

 

[Bright Raven]

I’ve tried both ways and its about a wash for me most of the time. The key to end to end is they have to be TIGHT together, and the bales have to be rolled tight. Looser bales do better separated.

These rolls are not tight. I got them pushed up against each other.

 

[Lucky]

Build a Hay Barn. It will pay for itself fairly quick.

 

[Nesikep]

Lucky, I agree.. one of the best things we ever did.. no more fighting with frozen strings either, and equipment can sit out of the weather too

 

[herofan]

I have left space between the ends of mine for years. It doesn’t have that moldy look if space is left. I’ve noticed everybody else around here pushes them together, but I’ve gotten behind them on the road in winter as they transport a roll, and the end looks liked it was stored in manure.

 

[snoopdog]

Good decision .

 

[jltrent]

I have tried it both ways and if the hay is on level ground, rolled tight, straight rows I seem to have less loss together. When I feed the hay, on the flat side it still has that golden look except for about 2 inches on top and 4 inches on the bottom if fed it the first year. Also turning the rows North/South direction seems to help also. Certain types of hay keeps better though.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Wow. Lots of comments. I totally agree with the article Fire Sweep posted.
But, dry hay outside only keeps well if they were made good and tight to begin with.
You cannot put a finger in ours. I push the row until i make the row bulge up because they can't get any closer. My ends are as if they were stored inside.
Glad you moved them.

 

[Lucky]

Before we built the barn I always butted the rolls end to end as tight as possible and left 1-2 foot between the rows. This works great and if using net wrap there will not be allot of spoilage. I think the main haybarn savings comes from rolls that are held over year to year. The worst thing you can do when storing outside is the pyramid stack. I always here people talk about only the outside 4-6 inches of the roll getting discolored or spoiled from storing outside and how thats not a big deal, if you do the math it comes to something like 30-40% of the hay is in the first foot of the roll.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

With the net wrap, I virtually have only maybe 1" on top & sides, maybe 4" on bottom. Bottom is usually pretty much wasted, but, top & sides, they eat. This is baled in Sept and fed thru following June.
For future reference, it is best to stack them, end to end, as soon as possible after baling. Then DO NOT TOUCH them. Like the article says, if you pick one up, you will break the "seal" that it made.
Yes, a barn is the perfect answer. But, with mine, it would take many many years to pay for the little spoilage I get. Secret is having a good TIGHT bale to begin with - and net wrap. If they are loose or twine wrapped - put indoors if you want to salvage anything in them.

 

[Bright Raven]

Jeanne. These are not tight rolls. But they will be used this winter.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

You don't have the damp rainy weather we have Ron, hopefully they will keep well enough for you.
But, here - I guarantee you would lose a LOT. There is nothing to keep the water from getting down into the bale if it does not have a super tight wrap throughout. Cheap can be expensive. Not trying to be a wet rag, just my thoughts.

 

[True Grit Farms]

You don't have the damp rainy weather we have Ron, hopefully they will keep well enough for you.
But, here - I guarantee you would lose a LOT. There is nothing to keep the water from getting down into the bale if it does not have a super tight wrap throughout. Cheap can be expensive. Not trying to be a wet rag, just my thoughts.

Your right Jeanne, I will not store string tied or peanut hay outside. If you can get someone to wrap a tight bale 3 or 4 times with net it stores outside not touching one another great.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I do not have the experience of loosely wrapped bales. Some of you are adamant not to let the ends touch, so maybe the soft loose bales do better. IDK. I do know mine keep like they were put inside and I have a LOT of moisture. We rarely have 3 full days of sunshine in a row all summer, you can imagine how much sunshine we have in the winter.