Wrapping dry hay. Did you find this article useful? Please tell us why Submit. Haul manure? Learn More. Innovative forage systems. Internal bale temperatures were monitored and showed that bales wrapped with at least 6 ml of plastic either four 1. The researchers concluded that bales should receive at least 6 ml of total plastic. The total plastic thickness, not number of wraps, appears to be the most important factor.
Another question that comes up occasionally is how long can bales sit without being wrapped before quality could be compromised?
During the rush of hay-making, the reality is that sometimes bales need to wait longer for wrapping than we would like to have happen. But how long is too long? Another University of Wisconsin study Undersander, et al. The researchers concluded that bales should be wrapped within 24 hours after baling to avoid the quality problems caused by the high internal bale temperatures associated with long delays in wrapping.
Other studies have come to the conclusion that the critical point is perhaps closer to 12 hours. Factors such as moisture level at baling and the forage species being wrapped could play a role in this issue as well.
Obviously your goal needs to be getting bales wrapped as soon as possible after baling. I would conclude that we need to get it done within 12 hours if at all possible. The second 12 hours up to 24 gets a little dicey. And if it gets beyond 24 hours, we can expect quality issues. And finally, we sometimes get questions about whether or not sheep should be fed baleage.
It is commonly known that sheep are more susceptible to the bacteria known as Listeria monocytogenes and can contract listeriosis or 'circling disease' more readily than cattle.
There are recyclers of agriculture-related plastics, but most of them do not accept plastics used for silage, haylage or hay. The first challenge is to gather up the plastic wraps from the vast number of farms so you have a sufficient amount to ship or process.
Some communities in the eastern part of the United States offer collection points where the plastic is compacted into bales suitable for shipping. Collection points with dumpsters could be a workable idea. The investment also makes sense when taking hay from rented land where there is no storage available. Small tractors may not have the necessary muscle. Many inline wrappers come equipped with their own power units, eliminating the need for a second tractor.
Moving bales also requires tong-style bale grabbers. There are some hidden charges as well, since producers must also consider how they will deal with postharvest storage. If there is no structural storage available, gravel pads may be necessary to get the wrapped bales off the ground.
Single-bale wrappers cost less than inline systems, but they require more wrapping time and plastic film per bale. Some of the inline systems require end caps or plastic hay bags to seal the ends of the lines. Wrapping bales can be an economical answer when quality counts, when haying on rented properties, and when silos are not available. Just be sure to include all of the factors when pushing that pencil. Fermenting feed The best candidates for wrapped haylage are first and fall cuttings.
Dry hay As part of a study, Gordon Groover, associate professor and extension economist at Virginia Tech, estimated wrapping costs.
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