Molasses on baled silage

Milton09

I was thinking of applying molasses to this years round baled silage. i.e drive around on the rows with the molasses tanker ahead of the baler.

Has anybody tried this and any guidelines on how much or at what rate to appply?
Thanks.

Ford4000

I dont think your contractor would be delighted with a sticky mess going through his baler !!!!

John_F

was done here before, only remember a tank with some sort of a thing for putting it on the swarth, i didnt see them with a long time though but not to many making bales around here. Jack Kennedy says on this weeks journal that additives dont make much of a difference if sugars are over 2%

aristo

John_F wrote: »

was done here before, only remember a tank with some sort of a thing for putting it on the swarth, i didnt see them with a long time though but not to many making bales around here. Jack Kennedy says on this weeks journal that additives dont make much of a difference if sugars are over 2%

I think Quinns of Baltinglass/Naas hire these out.

Indubitable

I used to put it on while feeding rather than while baling. I didn't do it the last two winters though. I put it on the bales that they don't like but are in perfect condition.

pakalasa

If you cut the grass at midday or early afternoon then the sugar levels in the grass will be at their highest. Proper wilting will also dry out the water, resulting in more concentration of these natural sugars also.

Thats the theory anyway.:D

Milton09

I have my own molasses tanker with pump but as molasses is not cheap I'm just wondering if its worth the hassle/expense. Never had fermentation problems with bales before but the cows dont like some of the bales from certain fields, so also though the molasses might make the silage more palatible.