small square baler

[daedong]

Chris,

It doesn't decompose because you exclude the oxygen in wrapping or placing in a earth pit.

 

[oldgrizzlybear]

What happens is that once the oxygen is used up, anaeorbic bacteria take over. They produce short chain organic acids like acetic (vinegar), lactic, propanoic etc. This lowers the pH which then stops further bacteria growth.

In pit silos, and concrete silos, air is eliminated by allowing the top to spoil which seals it. Using plastic or air tight silos like Harvesters (the big blue ones) reduces the spoilage. you can also store high moisture corn the same way.

When I was an undergrad at Purdue and working on the beef farm, we did some experiments with spraying organic acid on corn and then storing it in wooden bins. It work. The cool thing is that rumenants (i.e. cattle, sheep etc) use the acids for energy just like we use sugar. In fact the bacterial action in the rumen normally produces the same acids which are obsorbed into the blood and utilized for energy.


Ok, sorry, I didn't mean to bore you, when I get off on these tangents, people eyes tend to roll back into their sockets etc.
Larry

 

[Bird]

In this thread I posted some pictures of corn silage. With the size of the tractors being used, it was packed tight, and then covered with plastic.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

That is true, like doc said though, you bale slow. I have never seen a need for small squares to be baled wet but I have baled wet hay before (wanted to see what would happen). My baler handled it fine but I was going slow and have a good baler. If going to do haylage for any reason other then an experiment I would just get a round baler or someone who has a round baler as Doc suggested. But it could be done with a small square baler and a lot of time.

 

[gabby]

Kenneth,
This idea sounds very shaky. How do you plan to manhandle 100-lb bales of wet hay even if you can get it through the baler? Why not feed good old dry hay? That's what I feed my cows and horses and they love it.
Gabby

 

[cowboydoc]

<font color="green">How do you plan to manhandle 100-lb bales of wet hay even if you can get it through the baler </font>

We make 3 strand 120 lb. square bales that we feed at the ranch in Idaho. It was kind of funny when I came to Iowa and went to buy hay the first time. They had hay for $2/bale and I thought man hay is cheaper than heck here. Hay in Idaho usually runs $3/bale for a 75-85 lb. bale. When I went to look at the hay it was these small 35-45 lb. bales. I got an education real quick on hay. Even at $2/bale it was still around $125/ton compared to $75/ton at home.

As far as haylage goes it is a much better feed for cows. It will be much higher in protein and nutrients. You lose alot of the protein and nutrients when letting hay dry and baling it. With haylage you retain all the leaves, all the stem, etc. You CAN'T feed haylage to horses though only cattle.

 

[MicroPilot]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You CAN'T feed haylage to horses though only cattle. )</font>

Why is that? Colic?

 

[Soundguy]

Sounds like it is basically fermented feed.

Horses are so fragily.. to urear feeds.. etc. Got to watch protien content too.. and colic is always a concern for a horse..

Soundguy

 

[cowboydoc]

Soundguy is exactly right. A horse cannot handle fermentation. Not only colic but it causes founder. Their digestive systems are night and day from a cow. Some good friends of mine lost 20 head of horses because they got the wrong feed delivered to their horses that contained sileage and heavy amounts of urea. It's great for cattle but deadly for horses.

 

[Soundguy]

Thanks for clearing up that.. my spelling is pretty bad right now. At least two of my cats are helping me type right now.

speaking of equines.. I need to go stall mine right now.. later guys..

Soundguy