silage bale wrapping

[captaincoot]

Going to give wrapping silage bales a try this year. I was wondering if any of you guys and gals have any good advice for me. Does the twine you use matter? I don't have net wrap on baler. And what moisture works best? Thanks

 

[Rajela]

http://www.makingbestsilage.com/baling&wrapping

 

[tntblaster11]

Our plastic film wrap specifically says not to use treated twine.... we have a net wrap. Moisture varies...on who ya ask. We wrap under 40% moisture... usually in the 20-35% range, sometimes under 20% depending on the forage type, usually more grassy stuff.

 

[captaincoot]

Thanks for the info that was a good web page. And yes you hear it all when it come to moisture ranges. I'm going more on the dry side this year.

 

[tntblaster11]

I should note that we have gone as high as 50% moisture... it fed well, but we sell/contract out 4-7 loads of hay a year and the 2 guys who buy it like it w/ less... so it is easier to just bale it up w/ a lower moisture percentage all the time.

 

[regolith]

A lot of effluent seepage from high moisture grass silage.
I like to get mine just dry enough to not produce effluent... not measuring it, but around 30% seems to do it.

I've only had netwrap for several years, the twine that silage bales used to have was the plastic stuff that lasts forever.

 

[Rajela]

Everything I have ever ready or heard about Baleage is pretty much like this..

"When should I bale? Baling at the proper moisture content is a key to success in producing baleage. Forage containing less
than 40% or much above 65% moisture should not be baled for silage in order to avoid excessive molding
or spoilage. Producing bales with too much moisture reduces forage quality, increases the chance of
undesirable butyric acid fermentation, and reduces the amount of dry matter stored per storage unit — each of which greatly increases
storage costs. Baling with inadequate moisture reduces fermentation and increases mold production, which greatly increase
storage losses. Considering all factors, the optimum moisture for baled silage is in the 50 - 60% range"

 

[ERNIBIGB]

I've been wrapping and feeding silage for a few years.I use low or no oil grass twine (don't have net wrap on baler),any plastic twine is fine but I just don't like it.For the best quality feed cutting at the right stage is more important than moisture content. Most any grass makes very good hay silage if cut early. Grass that has reached reproductive stage(fully headed) does not have as much sugar content as grass cut in "boot stage" and will not ferment (probably not right term) as well as boot stage grass.Our cows seem to prefer the higher moisture or what I call juicy hay. Last year the best tested was rye grass and crimson clover cut and baled late April at 16% protein. I sometimes think you could dump it in a big mud hole and they would still try to eat every bite.Have almost 0% waste.I agree that 50 to 60% moisture is optimum.

 

[Bez__]

Going to give wrapping silage bales a try this year. I was wondering if any of you guys and gals have any good advice for me. Does the twine you use matter? I don't have net wrap on baler. And what moisture works best? Thanks

Been wrapping bales for years - ask away - probably put up more than 500 - 1000 a year on average

Bez

 

[captaincoot]

How long do you have to wait to feed them after wrapping? Is 2 weeks right. Thanks again guys and gals

 

[regolith]

Two weeks is a bit short but they will be edible. I believe you could feed at two days after baling if you really wanted to, but it'd be grass, not silage...
and an expensive way to give them grass.

btw I suspect my moisture levels are backwards and that 30% is dry matter... but it's still a long way off the 50 - 60% everyone else is suggesting. That must be haylage, not silage?