Moisture in round bales?

[southernultrablack]

How much can I get away with and not have total garbage? I have some hay on the ground now that still has a good bit of moisture in the stems (Sorghum Sudan). It's thin, with small stems and it's mixed with other grasses some. Rain coming tomorrow evening! It's only going to be 30-40 bales and wrapping is not really feasible.

 

[MurraysMutts]

That dad gum stuff is so hard to get dry!!
Make a bale and see what it tests.
We have made some that was pretty high as far as what I consider high. Like 25 percent. Some was much worse.
I didnt feed any. The guy wanted it put up in a hurry. The rain was interfering. Blah blah blah.

If there is enough dry matter in it from other grasses, that may help some.

I will tell you, my friend fed a bunch. The cows gobbled it up. He had a whole bunch of open cows that spring.
Too many variables to say for sure it was hays fault but I'm sure it didnt help.

 

[WFfarm]

They say hay should be a bit dryer for round bales than for what you would bale for squares. We baled some second cutting clover grass hay that was 25-28% moisture for a neighbor and we took 4 of the bales. Fed them right out to the cows. The last one feed about 4 days out and it was steaming like a compost pile. Cows ate it up but gave some of them the runs.

If moisture is too high you will end up with moldy dusty hay. Round bales do not breath out like people might think, only the very outer edge. Beef cows are less picky and will still eat it. Some of our older cows have acquired a test for the older rotten stuff that we peal of the outside and leave on the ground for bedding.

 

[Rafter S]

They say hay should be a bit dryer for round bales than for what you would bale for squares. We baled some second cutting clover grass hay that was 25-28% moisture for a neighbor and we took 4 of the bales. Fed them right out to the cows. The last one feed about 4 days out and it was steaming like a compost pile. Cows ate it up but gave some of them the runs.

If moisture is too high you will end up with moldy dusty hay. Round bales do not breath out like people might think, only the very outer edge. Beef cows are less picky and will still eat it. Some of our older cows have acquired a test for the older rotten stuff that we peal of the outside and leave on the ground for bedding.

. . . and that's if it doesn't build up enough heat to catch fire. I know of at least one barn, and one stack of round bales, that burned up for that very reason

 

[callmefence]

Haygrazer at 25 percent is going to tobacco every time.
The inside of the bales will become useless in a month~. The outside foot or so usually will remain fair. Edible at least. Usually best to let it get rained on.

If you absolutely must roll it. Make small bales as loose as you dare. Don't store it inside or with your other hay. And feed it first.

 

[M & P]

I bailed some sorghum sedan at 25% moisture, trying to beat the rain.
I checked the temperature every day for a couple weeks 129° is the highest I saw.
Only fed one bail so far didn't see any mold but it was a little dusty cows loved it and cleaned it up

I will add I kept the bales 4x4 and not super tight

 

[southernultrablack]

Appreciate all the pointers! Guys baler tore up so no baling and it's getting soaked the next 24 hours. Will spread it back out and try again.....

 

[Rafter S]

Appreciate all the pointers! Guys baler tore up so no baling and it's getting soaked the next 24 hours. Will spread it back out and try again.....

It will be dusty, but the cows will still eat it. I'll never forget about 30 years ago my father had some that got rained on just about every day for two weeks. He figured it wouldn't be worth keeping, so he rolled it up and dumped it in a gully to get it off the field. As you can imagine with all that rain, there was plenty of grass in the pasture, but the cows went after that hay like it was candy.