How long after baling silage should it be wrapped?
HOW SOON SHOULD I WRAP THE BALES? Ideally, wrap forage immediately or within 12 hours of baling. Lapses between baling and wrapping lowers feed quality by allowing undesirable microbial activity and excessive heating. Delays in baling may also cause the bales to deform, making it challenging to wrap.
Table of Contents
What size are silage bales?
4′ x 4′
Grass type in the bale (soft or stemmy) While silage bales are nominally 1. m x 1. m (4′ x 4′), many bales are closer to 1.3m in diameter. Most bales are carried by three-point, linkage- mounted, fixed handlers that are reversed beneath the bale.
How do you make silage bales?
When the Bale is wrapped in plastic. And oxygen is eliminated from the Bale the fermentation. Process starts the anaerobic microorganisms those that do not require oxygen.
How many kg is a round bale of silage?
The average weight of the bale is 200-240kg DM. One bale would give 50 cows 4kg DM/cow approx.
How wet can you bale silage?
Bale silage should be wrapped at 45 to 55% moisture. If moisture is too low, the material is susceptible to yeast and mould growth. Excess moisture can result in leaching and an extended fermentation period, causing a greater loss of protein and energy. For more information, see Bale moisture.
How many times do you wrap a silage bale?
At least 6 mils – and preferably 8 mils – of plastic wrap will cover the bale. To achieve this thickness, wrap the bale six times with 1 mil plastic or four times with 1.5 mils plastic.
How many small bales are in a round bale?
For example, if the round bale weighs 1,000 pounds, then it equals 20 of your 50-pound small square bales. If the large round-bale weighs 1,200 pounds and the small square bales weigh 40 pounds, then one large round hay bale would be equal to 30 small square bales.
How long does silage last once opened?
Storage life will depend on the type of plastic used. Stretchwrap plastic will give a storage life of 12 months, while plastic sheet can last for 2-3 years. Unwrapped round and square bales can be stored in pits or hillside bunkers and covered with plastic sheeting.
How soon can you bale silage?
If you plan to bale (round or square), start when the dry matter content is approaching 40% DM. This should be about mid-day or mid-afternoon of Day 2.
How long does it take for silage bales to ferment?
From the animal’s point of view, there are no ill effects of eating silage at any stage between grass to being fully fermented silage. It takes roughly three weeks for over 90% of grass to be fermented after harvesting.
How many bales will a roll of silage wrap do?
Rule of thumb: it takes about 10m to wrap one silage bale, so a 3000m roll will wrap approximately 300 bales.
How much does a 4×6 round bale weigh?
Round Bales
| Size | Dimension(Width x Height) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 4 ft x 4 ft | 400 to 600 lbs. |
| Medium | 5 ft x 4.5 ft | 720 to 950 lbs. |
| Large | 5 ft x 6 ft | 1270 to 1700 lbs. |
How much does a 5×5 round bale weigh?
A 5’x5′ bale weighs 1,200 lbs (540 kg) and a 5’x6′ bale weighs 1,500 lbs (680 kg). Grass bales, like timothy, weigh 20% less than alfalfa bales. Moisture content can affect bale weight by as much as 25 percent. Weight lbs.
Is silage better than hay?
Hay vs silage
Hay is usually a more efficient purchased feed because it has around 10% water while silage has up to 60%. Silage must be remain sealed, to exclude air. Once the seal is broken, eg a hole in the plastic or the silage is opened, then it will start to heat and spoil.
How long after baling can you feed hay?
To be safe, wait at least 8 weeks after wrapping to begin feeding baleage bales. This time will ensure that the forage is fully ensiled and does not begin to deteriorate or heat when it is fed.
How many cows will one round bale feed?
bale of baleage will still contain roughly 670 pounds of forage dry matter, so you can still feed one to your 18 cows.
How many cows will a bale of silage feed?
Baled silage
According to Teagasc, the weight of a round bale of silage is 200-240kg DM. At a DM feeding rate of 4kg/day, this would supply 50 cows with enough feed for one day.
How long does plastic wrapped silage last?
2-3 years
Storage life will depend on the type of plastic used. Stretchwrap plastic will give a storage life of 12 months, while plastic sheet can last for 2-3 years. Unwrapped round and square bales can be stored in pits or hillside bunkers and covered with plastic sheeting.
How much hay is in a 5×5 round bale?
Table A shows the number of cubic feet in four different size round bales commonly available. So, for example a 5 ft by 5 ft round bale contains about 98 cubic feet of hay compared to a 4 ft by 4 ft bale with about half that.
How heavy is a 4×4 round bale of hay?
How Much Does a Round Bale of Hay Weigh? A 4’x4′ round bale of legumes like alfalfa weighs about 600 lbs (272 kg). A 4’x5′ bale weighs 950 lbs (430 kg). A 5’x5′ bale weighs 1,200 lbs (540 kg) and a 5’x6′ bale weighs 1,500 lbs (680 kg).
How many square bales are in a 4×5 round bale?
How many squares bales are in a 4×5 round bale? How much does a fescue Round Bale weigh? In this area, the typical 4×5 Fescue round bale will weigh about 800 pounds…..the typical Fescue square bale will weigh about 40 pounds….so that equates to 20 bales…..on average….
What are the disadvantages of silage?
It requires a silo (a permanent structure) in comparison with the simpler methods of field curing and storing hay, this is likely to mean higher costs for small farmers. Wastage my be more, if silage is not properly made. Poorly prepared silages are not accepted by animals.
How long is silage good for?
Corn silage can stay preserved and with good quality for more than one year. For maximum fermentation and acid production, the bacteria need adequate moisture conditions to grow.
How long does it take round bale silage to ferment?
Six weeks is best, its then before will get an accurate analysis, due to it taking that long until the fermentation has stabilised. You can feed it whenever you like really, as long as it isn’t getting a secondary fermentation and heating up before they eat it.
How long until silage is ready?
The silage is ready for use after 14 to 20 days and can be stored for several months without loss of quality.