SIlage Bales. Best way to store. End up or lay on side?

BeeDI

Just wondering, if people see a difference in preservation quality of bales stored with ends up, compared to those layed on their sides.
I had a mix of bales stored each way last couple of seasons. I reckon those with ends up, have less mould / bits of black stuff compared to those layed on their sides.
Agree or disagree?

reilig

BeeDI wrote: »

Just wondering, if people see a difference in preservation quality of bales stored with ends up, compared to those layed on their sides.
I had a mix of bales stored each way last couple of seasons. I reckon those with ends up, have less mould / bits of black stuff compared to those layed on their sides.
Agree or disagree?

I always store them end up. My personal opinion on leaving them flat is that the bale will inevitavly go out of shape - when it does go out of shape, the wrap is tighter in some places and looser in other parts of the bale. This leads to air in the bale which will inevitably cause mould.

5live

If stored singly then the ends are best as there in more plastic at the ends to protect against crows etc.
But if stacking i find less damage when on their side as reilig says with the weight of another bale on top, the wrap all around the middle will be looser and i get a lot of mould there while it isnt as bad on those laid on the side

jeff greene

Negligible with 6 layers and well made, reasonable DM bales,tried both here, ball ache stacking them on their ends, on their side alot faster and safer too.

Tora Bora

5live wrote: »

If stored singly then the ends are best as there in more plastic at the ends to protect against crows etc.
But if stacking i find less damage when on their side as reilig says with the weight of another bale on top, the wrap all around the middle will be looser and i get a lot of mould there while it isnt as bad on those laid on the side

Could you clarify what you mean here. You say if stacking there is less damage when layed on their sides!! I assume that is the bottom row!

What about the top row? These are on their sides, so should have air pockets as described by Reilig .... hence damage potential!!

5live

Tora Bora wrote: »

Could you clarify what you mean here. You say if stacking there is less damage when layed on their sides!! I assume that is the bottom row!

What about the top row? These are on their sides, so should have air pockets as described by Reilig .... hence damage potential!!

Yeah there is damage but i found the bales stored on the ends and stacked 2 high had a lot more mould around the middle in the bottom row as they had 600kg+ of weight on them and the wrap got loose and there was a load of mould because of the poorer seal compared with bales stacked on the side where the mould was only at the top and middle (where the bale on top wasnt pressing down and forming a seal).

Relax. Its just what i found. I only stack on the side now:)

funny man

i have stacked them both ways here with 4 layers of plastic and can confirm i have never seen more mould on one over the other, but if i was stacking on rough ground i would stack them on their end as there is more plastic on there.

pakalasa

I find if stored on their sides, that is the flat side, that there is far less waste. There is more wrap on the flat sides so better protected from birds, cats feet etc.
I only stack one high so can't comment on stacking.

gav86

Just curious if anyone has ever heard about regulations about storing bales in the field next to a dwelling house. Is there an expected distance by law or is it just courtesy towards the household?

I know that there is a 20metre buffer zone from a river unless the effluent is collected but have never seen any regulations regarding a house.. thanks.

13spanner

We've always stored them standing up on their ends.
There's more plastic on the 2 flat sides than anywhere else on the bale, theory is it might make it harder for birds to do damage if one of these sides is up. They usually hold there shape better too.

Good loser

If bales are stored on concrete must there be provision for effluent (by regulation)?

Must they be a specified distance from a bored well?

locky76

Good loser wrote: »

If bales are stored on concrete must there be provision for effluent (by regulation)?

Must they be a specified distance from a bored well?

By Reps spec, not if they're stacked two high.

bob charles

much less space need for storage on ends. you have to be fairly handy to get 3 rows up. nice neat stack when on ends

Good loser

locky76 wrote: »

By Reps spec, not if they're stacked two high.

Thanks Locky. Good night!

tvo

as a related topic what do you find is the quickest way of bringing in bales for a short draw double bale lifter + one on front loader or bale trailer