feed straw shelf life

Connemara Farmer

If I got enough feed straw this week to do for this and next year would it still be good next year?

Bullocks

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

If I got enough feed straw this week to do for this and next year would it still be good next year?

I got a couple there that were two years old and they were grand . The outside was a bit stuck together because he took them from the edge of the stack and they got some weather but they were perfect a few inches in .

blue5000

Ya, should be grand, Are you going to wrap it or keep in shed? Just make sure it was dry enough going into the bale and has no mould.

Miname

they will be grand. ive done it a few years and never any hassle.

Connemara Farmer

blue5000 wrote: »

Ya, should be grand, Are you going to wrap it or keep in shed? Just make sure it was dry enough going into the bale and has no mould.

I'd be a long time walking round them with rolls of cling film to wrap them

Into the tunnel they'll go onto pallets, may store the ones I plan to use this year outside on pallets under tarp, free up a little room inside.

Green farmer

Any condensation in the tunnel Con ? That's the only thing that could affect the storage of it. I'm using last years straw for bedding, but it's stored in a haybarn. Hasn't deteriorated in quality in last 18 months that's it's in the shed, but I wouldn't think there's any feed value in it other then fibre to complement meal. Having said that, can be bought cheap this year so nothing much to loose.

Connemara Farmer

Green farmer wrote: »

Any condensation in the tunnel Con ? That's the only thing that could affect the storage of it. I'm using last years straw for bedding, but it's stored in a haybarn. Hasn't deteriorated in quality in last 18 months that's it's in the shed, but I wouldn't think there's any feed value in it other then fibre to complement meal. Having said that, can be bought cheap this year so nothing much to loose.

No condensation, lots of water blowing in today though :mad:

I'll have to get perspex sheets to address that problem, tried a couple of fixes this afternoon but the combination of heavy rain and wind defeated them all.

tomwaterford

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

No condensation, lots of water blowing in today though :mad:

I'll have to get perspex sheets to address that problem, tried a couple of fixes this afternoon but the combination of heavy rain and wind defeated them all.

I did used find rats would in fest them after a while...ive a bale 2/3 years old and I just know while it wont be gone bad....rats will have it chewed to bits (im not the best to put down poision over having sheepdogs around and be afrai they would eat it!!)

Green farmer

When you hear of rats in straw etc, puts the idea of sheep slats back into your mind:rolleyes:

Connemara Farmer

I've a rat plan of attack in my head already. Plenty of down pipe I'll be cutting into shorter lengths. 2x1's with small oval nails in them make good bait block carriers. Slide the 2x1's into the down pipes and position strategically, no rat problem. Straw will be up on pallets whether it's inside or out, so bait can go under stack too. Dogs can't get into pipes the way I'll have them. Will also make a few easy access routes into the tunnel for ratty too, I'll have these baited the same way.

Connemara Farmer

Had very few rat problems this year now I think of it. One even very helpfully nested in a box of bait blocks which had a damaged lid, ye can guess how that ended.

rangler1

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

No condensation, lots of water blowing in today though :mad:

I'll have to get perspex sheets to address that problem, tried a couple of fixes this afternoon but the combination of heavy rain and wind defeated them all.

I had to take down galebreaker from a shed beside where I was building my tunnel, because the sheep were getting drownded .
When I told colm warren this before he built the tunnel he assured me that the galebreaker I took down from the shed was 50% open and the tunnels galebreaker is 20% open so it'd only be letting in a mist, It seems to be letting in enough air without drowning the sheep anyway.

Connemara Farmer

rangler1 wrote: »

I had to take down galebreaker from a shed beside where I was building my tunnel, because the sheep were getting drownded .
When I told colm warren this before he built the tunnel he assured me that the galebreaker I took down from the shed was 50% open and the tunnels galebreaker is 20% open so it'd only be letting in a mist, It seems to be letting in enough air without drowning the sheep anyway.

Not sure but I think this net is 40%, whether that's 40% open or 40% closed is up for debate! Either way it's as effective as a chocolate teapot.