Can you bale corn silage?
So while you can use a hay baler to bale corn silage, there’s a good chance that the wet forage will rot – that is, if it even stays in the bale. There are balers that are designed specifically to handle the task, which is called baleage. In this process, each bale is wrapped in airtight plastic.
How long do silage bales keep?
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. However, even where the forage was baled at the appropriate moisture level and the plastic has minimal holes, it is good practice to feed baleage bales within 9 months.
How do you feed silage bales?
To feed an individually wrapped bale, cut a large X in the end to be speared and pull back the flaps. Spear the bale, lift and cut across the top and down the other flat side to peel the plastic off in one piece. In both cases, the netwrap or twine should then be removed before feeding the bale.
What are silage bales used for?
Bulk silage is commonly fed to dairy cattle, while baled silage tends to be used for beef cattle, sheep and horses.
How do you make good silage bales?
Tips for making good quality baled silage
- Aim to mow when grass is dry and easier to preserve.
- Aim for a wilt of 24 – 36 hours to improve preservation and reduce effluent production.
- Aim to produce dense well shaped bales.
- Aim to wrap bales within 2 – 3 hours after baling and ensure adequate plastic film is used.
How heavy is a silage bale?
Table 1. Average silage bale analysis per farm
| Farm | Average bale weight (kg) | Silage dry matter (g/kg DM) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 832 | 242 |
| 2 | 765 | 323 |
| 3 | 720 | 431 |
| 4 | 331 | 845 |
How long before you can feed silage bales?
The grass regrowths will appear a few days after the bales are removed. The cow will have high-quality grass ready to be eaten again on this paddock in 18 to 21days. An ordinary silage bale consists of grass harvested after a longer growing period (35–42 days) and is used for winter feed when the cow is dry.
How long does it take for silage bales to ferment?
three to six weeks
Depending on many factors, fermentation usually completes within three to six weeks. Feeding bales before fermentation is complete can be done in an emergency, but the partially fermented product will heat excessively and spoil very quickly.
How wet can you bale silage?
25% to 70%
Silage can be made with anywhere from 25% to 70% moisture content. The key is getting the material wrapped in a timely manner (ideally less than 24 hours after mowing), so its oxygen supply is cut off and fermentation can occur.
How long can silage bales sit before wrapping?
All hay-crop silages lose some energy during fermentation, but excessive heating amplifies those losses. What’s too long? Extension recommendations for an appropriate, but reasonable time interval between baling and wrapping can vary widely, ranging from two to 48 hours.
How many cows will a bale of silage feed?
The average weight of the bale is 200-240kg DM. One bale would give 50 cows 4kg DM/cow approx. Weigh your bale to get an estimate of the weight.
How much corn silage does a cow eat?
Cattle will commonly consume corn silage at a rate of 5 to 7 pounds per 100 pounds of body weight. A 500-pound feeder calf may consume 25 to 35 pounds of corn silage as-fed daily.
How long should you leave silage before baling?
This is best achieved by tedding out rows and wilting for 24 hours in good conditions.
What is better silage or 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.
What time of day is best to cut silage?
morning dew
The best time to mow grass for silage is when the grass is dry after the morning dew has gone of the grass. This is because it is easier to dry the dew of a standing grass crop. Farmers should also avoid soil contamination of the silage, because this can result in poor preservation and reduced feed quality.