Transporting Plastic wrapped Haylage

[nobull1]

I am considering using some 4x4 wrapped haylage this winter to feed my cattle. The problem is I don't have a hugger to move the bales to a storage area on the farm. What I have considered doing is using my hay spear and poking a hole or three in the bale than repairing it after moving. The haylage is already cured for at least a couple of months so that shouldn't be a problem. Just wondering if anyone has experience poking and repairing and potential spoilage.

 

[JDeerekid]

Just carry a roll of duct tape and patch the holes seems to work well on some farms I have seen in my area.

 

[RichZ]

I sometimes use wrapped bales for my sheep. I move them with a hay spear, and then just put tape over the hole. I've never had a problem.

 

[nobull1]

I sometimes use wrapped bales for my sheep. I move them with a hay spear, and then just put tape over the hole. I've never had a problem.

How long after spearing and taping them have you gone before using them?

 

[RichZ]

The longest that I've gone after taping them is about a month.

 

[nobull1]

I am going to try taping the holes and see what happens. I might be able to use my pallet forks to cradle the bales with little or no damage. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Egon]

nobull1; I drove by your place this morning. There would have been a coffee stop but all the lights were out. I was on my way home from a morning passenger delivery to the Airport.

That is an impressive amount of bales you have lined up. It also looks like you have kept the cutters and splitters busy on the firewood operation.

Can't help with the bale wrapping but one suspects you just may come up with a very workable solution.

 

[nobull1]

Egon
Too bad you couldn't have stopped in for a chat. My yard that was full of split wood has disappeared but I have another down the road with a couple hundred cords being processed. I am on the road 7 days a week doing deliveries (hard to catch me at the farm) Next week I have a dozen bales of haylage being delivered to the farm. I am going to try my forks to cradle and place them in the yard. Hopefully it will cause minimal damage. Was that you I passed on the HP rd that was waving, going in the opposite direction?

 

[Egon]

If it was a fellow in a battered old green painted truck with a white camper on it it could have been me.