Considering all factors, the optimum whole-plant moisture for baled silage is
50-60%
. Baling at the proper moisture content is a key to success in producing baleage. Forage containing less than 40% or more than 65% moisture should not be baled for silage in order to avoid excessive molding or spoilage.
What moisture should haylage be?
The general pattern of drying forages is shown in the figure at right. When forage is cut, it has 75 to 80 percent moisture, which must be dried down to
60 to 65% moisture
content for haylage and down to 14 to 18% moisture content for hay (lower figures for larger bales).
What makes good Baleage?
Correct moisture content is considered one of the most critical elements in successfully making balage, along with high sugar content. The usual range is
30% to 60% moisture
, with the most stable balage usually being made in the higher half of that range.
How much dry matter is in a bale of Baleage?
| Silage types DM% DM silage kg/m3 in stack/bale | Baleage 35-40 130-180 | Hay – small bales 85 15-20 | Hay – round bales 85 150-250 | Maize stack 33-38 170-250 (average 200) |
|---|
Can haylage be too dry?
If the haylage was too dry when
wrapped it may still have high sugar levels in it
(as the fermentation process converts those sugars into fatty acids), or you may have had the wrong type of bacteria multiplying.
Is haylage better than hay?
Haylage is, however, higher in protein, and
more digestible than hay
giving it a higher DE content. As a result, horses generally tend to do better on haylage, so it’s often not ideal for overweight horses and those prone to weight gain, metabolic and laminitic horses, unless it is a high-fibre, lower DE variety.
Is haylage more expensive than hay?
Haylage is often considered more expensive than hay
but that is in terms of fresh weight consumed. If its higher nutritional value is taken into account there is really little difference, it may even be cheaper on a total feed cost per day basis, and it has additional health and welfare benefits.
How long will Baleage last?
HOW LONG CAN BALEAGE BE STORED BEFORE FEEDING? In general, forages baled at 40-60% moisture will maintain feed value for
about 12 months
as long as the integrity of the plastic is maintained.
Can you cut and bale hay the same day?
In a trial at the University of Wisconsin Arlington Research Station (Figure 2) where
alfalfa
was put into a wide swath it reached 65 percent moisture in about eight hours and could be harvested for haylage the same day as cutting.
What is Bailage?
Haylage is forage chopped using a silage chopper and packed in a bunk, silo, or bag. Some producers may chop right after the mower or allow for some minimal drying prior to chopping to reach a moisture content of
60-70 percent
. This is sometimes referred to as the wilt stage and also may be referred to as silage.
How many cows will one round bale feed?
As an example, a
30-cow herd
would consume one 900-pound round bale per day. To feed a 30-cow herd, we could use one hay ring that is filled daily.
How much does a bale of Baleage cost?
Pasture baleage can be purchased at
$90 per bale
.
How do you calculate dry matter?
1) Figure the dry matter percentage.
Subtract the moisture content from 100%
. In this example 100% – 75.9% = 24.1% dry matter. 2) Convert individual nutrients from “as fed” to “dry matter”.
How do you stop haylage?
Our bales are treated with
Ecobale
when baled which is a bacteria spray which reduces spoilage once opened. Higher dry matter haylage will keep longer once opened and cold temperatures will reduce secondary fermentation.
Is it worth wrapping dry hay?
Wrapping dry hay allows farmers to protect feed from the weather without building more structures. If the hay is in string-tied bales and to be stored outside, then a
couple turns of
plastic may be an economic advantage, as long as the gain due to reduced storage losses outweighs the loss in increased expense.
How do you know if haylage has gone off?
- It should not be hot to touch. If it is hot to touch it is either still going through fermentation or it is aerobically respiring (ie. …
- If it is slimy and wet to touch it was baled too wet and probably has not fermented properly.
