Silage gone into haylage

cacs

Cut 10 acres of the best quality silage we had in years on Monday around 12 the idea was to bale it on Wednesday morning because it was so green. Looked at it yesterday evening and if was gone too far it's nearly haylage . I am sickened. Put so much effort to get this far. Luckily we didn't tedder it out.

Muckit

It's only the top bit that is bleached. Will b good stuff

Nekarsulm

Bale it this morning before the dew burns off, and make sure he bales them as tight as possible. Can he put an extra later of wrap on?
Should be super stuff.
We're not used to operating in such fine weather!

Bass Reeves

Put 6 layers of wrap on it. If it is for drystock you will be suprised how they thrive on it. this sort of haylage is totally different to haylage cut in late June/July on stemmy grass. More than likly it is 70+ DMD. I prefer it that way rather than 17-20DM. It will cost you way less on baling.

cacs

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Put 6 layers of wrap on it. If it is for drystock you will be suprised how they thrive on it. this sort of haylage is totally different to haylage cut in late June/July on stemmy grass. More than likly it is 70+ DMD. I prefer it that way rather than 17-20DM. It will cost you way less on baling.

Thanks for that we are going to barel wrap with a fusion 3 so it will get around 7 layers. I prefer a bit more sap

Bass Reeves

cathal irwin wrote: »

Thanks for that we are going to barel wrap with a fusion 3 so it will get around 7 layers. I prefer a bit more sap

If finishing cattle on 6+kgs ration that type of silage is ideal. Stores on it alone will do 0.5kgs/day on it maybe a tad more

cacs

Bass Reeves wrote: »

If finishing cattle on 6+kgs ration that type of silage is ideal. Stores on it alone will do 0.5kgs/day on it maybe a tad more

It's for suckler cows and weanling I will feed three days silage three days straw and thus stuff to the cows

Bass Reeves

cathal irwin wrote: »

It's for suckler cows and weanling I will feed three days silage three days straw and thus stuff to the cows

Just make sure that it will not get damaged by crows, this type of silage is like firewater cattle can consume way more DM than if eating low DM silage.

cacs

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Just make sure that it will not get damaged by crows, this type of silage is like firewater cattle can consume way more DM than if eating low DM silage.

Thanks will do we had a big problem last year with too much condition on cows this straw also

mahoney_j

Don't panic. U can't get bales dry enough .intakes will be higher and less meal needed .if it was just left in Swartz it'll be no higher than 25/30 max dm .too will be crusty but bottom still damp .no need for extra wrap (expense)just make sure bales are stored correctly with no holes and put poison down

cacs

mahoney_j wrote: »

Don't panic. U can't get bales dry enough .intakes will be higher and less meal needed .if it was just left in Swartz it'll be no higher than 25/30 max dm .too will be crusty but bottom still damp .no need for extra wrap (expense)just make sure bales are stored correctly with no holes and put poison down

Cheers

Bass Reeves

mahoney_j wrote: »

Don't panic. U can't get bales dry enough .intakes will be higher and less meal needed .if it was just left in Swartz it'll be no higher than 25/30 max dm .too will be crusty but bottom still damp .no need for extra wrap (expense)just make sure bales are stored correctly with no holes and put poison down

I think it will be much higher DM up over 40% cut myself late Friday out look was broken bit of a panic AM Monday getting plastic. Another 24-36 hours and it was Hay. IMO mine was up at 50% DM. When silage goes this dry I use the extra wrap you are pay little more for plastic as bales will be back 20%+ and you are saving a lot on baling costs.

dodo mommy

How many days would you want to leave grass down in this weather to get haylage I would be shaken it out every day aswell?

Jaysus Christ

Anyone ever put mould inhibitor on it and not wrap it.

vincenzolorenzo

Bale it and not wrap it?

Jaysus Christ

vincenzolorenzo wrote: »

Bale it and not wrap it?

Yeah. Get it down to 35% moisture and the baler applies to. I put it on rolled barley, wheat and oats. Propcorn.

tractorporn

cathal irwin wrote: »

Cut 10 acres of the best quality silage we had in years on Monday around 12 the idea was to bale it on Wednesday morning because it was so green. Looked at it yesterday evening and if was gone too far it's nearly haylage . I am sickened. Put so much effort to get this far. Luckily we didn't tedder it out.

Would you not chance making hay out of it? We fed the cows hay this year as we were shortish on silage and it was a great job, cows were very fit coming up to calving and had very little fat, led to savage easy calvings.

patsy_mccabe

Same here, used hay this year on sucklers and they calved away no problem. They can loose a bit too much condition for my liking but you can't have it everyway , I suppose.

Bass Reeves

tractorporn wrote: »

Would you not chance making hay out of it? We fed the cows hay this year as we were shortish on silage and it was a great job, cows were very fit coming up to calving and had very little fat, led to savage easy calvings.

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Same here, used hay this year on sucklers and they calved away no problem. They can loose a bit too much condition for my liking but you can't have it everyway , I suppose.

Hay made is Late May, early June is totally different to hay made in Late Jume/July. You would want to watch cows with it even. They will hold or even put condition on with it. This is the type of hay that the top studs want for horses.

tractorporn

Bass Reeves wrote:

Hay made is Late May, early June is totally different to hay made in Late Jume/July. You would want to watch cows with it even. They will hold or even put condition on with it. This is the type of hay that the top studs want for horses.

Exactly if I had meadow fit I'd have it knocked this week for hay. I know there's a bit more work in it with tedding and rowing but it's a lot easier store and you save on wrapping.

Never wrestle with pigs

Baled stuff here that was 24 hrs short of hay. Lovely new grass, about 8 bales to the acre. Baled with a mcale and packed very tight. I thought it was savage quality stuff?

mf240

Haylage is just very dry silage. You'll have less bales but the same amount of feed.

They will drink a bit more water and the bales will last longer.

It will be super stuff. Imo.

cacs

mf240 wrote: »

Haylage is just very dry silage. You'll have less bales but the same amount of feed.

They will drink a bit more water and the bales will last longer.

It will be super stuff. Imo.

We baled ours today I was worried it was gone too far but only the top had dried out bulk of the grass underneath was was green . It was just starting to come to seed I honestly think it was the best stuff we ever baled. Normally we would get 11-12 bales to the acre . This year we got nine. Baled it early and dried it out more. I think we will have super stuff next winter

Miname

It's ruined but seen as you had that much hardship il go down and gather it up for you for free, just direct me to the field.

cacs

Miname wrote: »

It's ruined but seen as you had that much hardship il go down and gather it up for you for free, just direct me to the field.

Sound no bother