Silage 2026

Danny healy ray · 16-06-2026 10:13AM

how much is a bale of silage to make this year cut rake bale draw stack contractor to suppy plastic net ??

Jb1989 · 16-06-2026 11:08AM

Not aimed at you but it's amazing how the contractors now have to do everything, farmers don't have time to supply plastic or draw the bales themselves even, 10 years ago you wouldn't have heard tell of it.

funkey_monkey · 16-06-2026 11:45AM

Plenty of PT farmers realise that it makes more sense to go to their days work and they'll earn more than the cost of drawing and stacking. If the land isn't all in a block beside the storage compound then it does make sense to get the contractor in to get it in and stacked asap. Could be a long day or two otherwise.

Although if every PT farmer took that mindset half the country would be rented out.

funkey_monkey · 16-06-2026 11:53AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124553569#Comment_124553569

How many bales do you make per year?

whelan2 · 16-06-2026 01:37PM

We supply the plastic here, if it's a thing we haven't got any contractor will use his own and we'll replace it

limo_100 · 16-06-2026 02:51PM

we supply here aswell and also draw in our own bales.

Siamsa Sessions · 16-06-2026 04:02PM

Whether I draw them or the contractor draws them depends here on how close they are to the yard and how many.

Anything beside the yard and I'll draw them in with a bale handler on the loader and another on the back. Two bales at a time. But if there's a few of them and they're a few fields away, I'll get the contractor. He can fit 18 on his trailer and he'd have them in in a few hours whereas I'd be a few days - an hour here and an hour there.

For first cut a few weeks ago, I drew in 80-ish from around the yard and the contractor drew in 180 from a few fields away. I might split the difference with him for second cut and ask him for a loan of the trailer to draw them in myself. He's always busy (milking cows too) so he'll probably be OK to let me work away. I'll pay him for the loan of it obviously.

Jb1989 · 16-06-2026 04:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124555264#Comment_124555264

Your the last of the old stock.

There be some changes when your generation is gone

yewdairy · 16-06-2026 05:08PM

Haven't brought a bale in here in years, contractor offers the service so he brings them in. The lads bringing them in are usually right behind baler. We have had same contractor for as long as I can remember and he has always supplied plastic aswell. Most contractors around here will bring in bales and supply plastic

divillybit · 16-06-2026 05:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124554700#Comment_124554700

Between 7 and 8 hundred a year

Dunedin · 16-06-2026 06:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124555015#Comment_124555015

exact same here. Works well as he prefers farmer to supply but there’s no issue with him supplying if I run out. And that saves me worrying too much about having enough bales.

Just on the help from the neighbours. Round here it’s mainly either a few young farmers who all have their day job/family/kids sports every evening so it’s impossible to ask them to help drawing bales or something like that. Equally I’m on the road every evening so I can’t help any of mind.

I just take a couple of days off work to get the silage done and slurry out. I’m not relying on anyone then.

My contractor can draw if I want too but I get him with the trailer and I load/unload. I have my own trailer but it’s half the time with him there too and I don’t like drawing bales.

Any time saved then is an extra hour at the slurry afterwards, a job I actually like.

French Toast · 16-06-2026 06:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124554588#Comment_124554588

A local lad here has got a bit of business doing GPS fert spreading. Some of his customers would have both the money to buy a handy spreader and the time of day to spread it. They’d just rather pay a bill than have the hassle of it, I suppose.

Jb1989 · 16-06-2026 06:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124555698#Comment_124555698

Yes and more power to him. As you said they rather have a bill than buying and doing the work themselves. If there was less money floating about, men would be drawing their own bales right through the night, but surplus money allows to hire in drawing bales. Nothing wrong with it, it's just the rule rather than the exception unlike the opposite of years ago.

orm0nd · 16-06-2026 07:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124555478#Comment_124555478

we mow, ted out , draw in and supply the wrap, and it's not me that's doing it , it's the next generation ,

my son mowed a few acres for a guy that the contractor couldn't get to as one of the drivers was gone to a wedding.

asked the owner why he didn't mow his own, he said he wouldn't have time. … yet he had time to sit into the cab and talk sh1te for an hour and a half.

Jb1989 · 16-06-2026 07:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124555849#Comment_124555849

Agreed. I do all the silage apart from the baling bit, and do bits for contractors as well like your fella. Some men don't have time for their own but plenty do but can't be bothered. Their choice tho

bogman_bass · 16-06-2026 07:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124555533#Comment_124555533

are you in cork?

whelan2 · 16-06-2026 08:01PM

We used to draw the bales in singly, with bale carriers. Then we got a trailer which would take 10. Oh bought a trailer before he died. It takes 14 and 1 on the digger. Not long draw. Contractor brought in bales for me last year as a one off as things were shite at that time.

50HX · 16-06-2026 11:09PM

This line of "better to spend the day at work & let that pay the contractor" is something I hear a good few times & doesnt stack up imo.

For part time esp beef in my case if I didn't mow,ted & draw in i would be down a sizeable chunk of money.

Last cut I did i roughly paid myself 350 to mow it after diesel expense as an example.

Farm has to stand on its own, I appreciate we all have other commitments outside of work & may get caught the odd time but ffs if a "farmer" can't give 5-6hours drawing bales in the evening due to other commitments then he/she would seriously want to look at the set up.

Silage esp....the winter feed, when there is about 10-15mins max a day to do when there is nothing else going on.

Bass Reeves · 16-06-2026 11:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124554588#Comment_124554588

We draw ourselves at the main farm. However form the new place a contractor draws. This morning on a back load while drawing bales he took over 6 big bags of 18-6-12 and a bag of granlime for around at home where the new place is near. Have got him to spread fertlizer a couple times if there is a bit to spread. Times catches us three blocks and our tractors are a handy size a ton of fertlizer is the most they carry. We have the 4WD tractors over there and will take the 2wd to spread it.

Even though we have a disc mower contractor mows the silage. He will cut cleaner and has a conditioner so that is worth 12-18 hours in the wilt. Contractor dose the slurry. 90% of farmers locally supply plastic only lads doing small numbers (less than 50) do not supply plastic.

Got over 120 bales this time, total made so far this year is nearly 330. Have 50 in the yard since last year 2nd cut will be 120+ bales.

J.O. Farmer · 17-06-2026 06:48AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124556572#Comment_124556572

Everyone has different circumstances, the cost of paying the contractor to draw bales might seem good value. 5-6 hours is a long time if you are gone 13 or 14 hours to the day job with the commute.

There's also a big difference between 15 minutes and 5 hours. You can't spend 15 minutes a day next winter drawing in bales made in June. Anyone at that needs to look at the system.

The farm has to stand on its own but revenue tax you on overall income.

The 350 you paid yourself was not tax free it could be either 175 or 700 when tax is factored in depending on whether you counted it based what you would have given the contractor or what you saved after tax. There's a big difference in the 2 numbers.

mahoney_j · 17-06-2026 09:47AM

I mow ,Ted and stack bales myself …draw in bales (3 at a time)made on milk block only .any from outblicks bale chasers are in ,pure no brainer with the output they give versus hours burning diesel ,wear and tear on tractor and not putting my own time to better use ….we have cows contractors ten a penny around here most have 2 fusions ,very little have chasers but few lads have started doing it and there is any amount of work they want for them …lads turn there nose up at them till they get them in ….only the most miserable lads will go back to giving hours at it themselves

It’s great been able to mow and ted out yourself and I wouldn’t be without either

50HX · 17-06-2026 01:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124556861#Comment_124556861

I get what you are saying & correct to a point.

I'm referring more to the lad standing at the gap looking at all this & then spends the rest of the year bitching about cost per bale, inputs too high etc etc.

There is a big difference between the 2 numbers, thats where a good accountant is key & a knowledge yourself.

The 350 i quoted i have the option to invest in sonething later on or pay the tax on it, give it to the contractor & its gone as an expense.

I'm only writing on my own set up, i acknowledge dairy units are a diff set up esp with outblocks further away, labour etc.

bogman_bass · 17-06-2026 04:40PM

if you ever wondered what 20 bales to the acre looks like here you go.

Contractor had to abandon ship after 170 bales so he could get some other lads done. Still another 50 bales to make and me moving them with a single lifter 😢

Omallep2 · 17-06-2026 05:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124557995#Comment_124557995

Some crop. Its not 2nd cut anyway

bogman_bass · 17-06-2026 05:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124558136#Comment_124558136

no. Have 2 feilds that I use for silage and only have the means to clear bales from one at a time. Got the other one cut last week of May and Weather hasn’t played ball since then. This was reseeded this time last year and hardly got grazed. In hindsight I should have cut this one first

DeeDee44 · 17-06-2026 10:05PM

What old Cowardly Conman cathal that back in 2020 predicted the thunderstorms of the century which never hapoened, then disappears offline for 7nminths, refused to answer his followers messages and then slithered back online looking for money?? Then when his followers asked where he'd gone & why he wouldn't answer messages etc he lied hus arse off and claimed his girlfriend had cancer. Whole pack of lies he was exposed by a woman that lives near them and knows them both. The woman is fit and healthy and he's an absolute and utter compulsive liar. Mkt to mention a prick and am arseh0le

bogman_bass · 17-06-2026 10:41PM

did you mean to post that in a different discussion?

Dunedin · 18-06-2026 12:04AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559029#Comment_124559029

do you draw your own bales or get the contractor to do it?

Would Cathal the conman ever give you a hand (drawing in bales)?

DeeDee44 · 18-06-2026 05:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124559381#Comment_124559381

Ah now, here sure how couldI ask that poor meteorologist/climate scientist to do something like that when the poor man is dealing with such a tragedy?? Have a heart......

bogman_bass · 18-06-2026 08:04AM

237 bales off 11 acres

I’m cream crackered this morning

Silage 2026

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