small square baler

[slowzuki]

I'm thinking if you do want to pump that stuff through your baler you should take all the hay wedges out. Make it a lot easier to clean out when you break some shear bolts.

 

[rambler]

To do any silage/haylage bales in a small square, you would need a fairly modern baler that requires 50 hp or better. For that you can get a round baler & make real silage. I just don't see small squares working out well at all, from start to feeding. I believe it will be extremely expensive & slow all the way around. Not worth the experiment.

JMHO

--->Paul

 

[Jackrabbit_Slim]

I'm inclined to agree with Paul. A neighbour had some squares of tough hay a couple of years ago and our equivalent of an Ag Extension Agent suggested stacking them on silage plastic, wrapping the whole package to make it airtight, then pumping anhydrous ammonia in.

It was a really unpleasant way to pass time. The hay, however, didn't mold and while I don't think they exactly relished it, his cows did eat it as part of their ration that winter. (I believe there was some concern over nitrates.)

We make pit silage from a combination of barley, oats and triticale sown in the spring, swathed just at the milky side of soft dough stage, and processed through a forage harvester at about 60% moisture content.

While I wouldn't feed this to a colt, I've seen many mature horses working feed lots that thrive on the stuff as long as there isn't any mold in it.

Slim

 

[phillipl]

You can buy a 3X3 Star Baler for around 15 K at Paige Tractor in Paige,TX they also have a 2X2 mini round baler with wrap under 9K. I looked at them and were impressed. I bought the mini square baler for 13,8 and it works flawlessly and the women like the smaller bales for horses. I have a huge demand for the bales so far.

 

[ovrszd]

You can bale anything wet, but it is usually a bad idea. Back in the early 60’s my brother & I helped put up a LOT of green, wet & HEAVY alfalfa. We packed the loft of a very large barn. It generated enough heat and gas that it burned the place to the ground. Largest fire I had seen to that date /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif.

I ran a hay crew years ago. Stored 5,000 bales of wheat straw in a big old barn. Filled the loft and all of the side stalls. Only thing open was the alleyway. The owner then baled some oats wet and asked me to pile them in the alleyway. I argued with him to the point of him saying if I didn't want to do it he would find someone else. I said okay, I'll do it but you are probably going to lose your barn. We pilled the alleyway full and shut the doors. A week or so later it burned to the ground. This guy was trying to make sileage. he just didn't have it airtight enough. As KennyV said it was the biggest fire I have ever saw. The property is East of my house 3 1/2 miles and the glow from the fire woke me in the middle of the night and I went and helped them save their house.

If you do this project, don't commit your barn to it!!!!