Baled forage Rye silage

[Mark C]

We are trying a bit of forage rye this year as an experiment. No clamp for chopped grass so it will be baled. When would people suggest cutting it ? I was thinking of when it was just splitting boot for max biomass

Cheers

mark

 

[Devon Gurfallo]

Don't think baling maize works well. You need to crack the grain and get the plant down to 30dm at least. Better to put down hard surface and clamp if you can. Or use one of those large agri bag

 

[Hesstondriver]

I think I’ve seen ( or dreamt) about chopping with a forage harvester & corn cracker int to trailers as normal and then baking in the yard . I think a fusion or similar gives less losses too

a bit like this :

 

[Mark C]

Rye! Edited to correct. Must be getting old and was thinking of two things at the same time

 

[Sid]

We are trying a bit of forage rye this year as an experiment. No clamp for chopped grass so it will be baled. When would people suggest cutting it ? I was thinking of when it was just splitting boot for max biomass

Cheers

mark

What are you going to feed it to?
Dry cow?
Milking cow?
Toingstock?

 

[Mark C]

What are you going to feed it to?
Dry cow?
Milking cow?
Toingstock?

Store cattle over winter.

 

[Al R]

Rye! Edited to correct. Must be getting old and was thinking of two things at the same time

Good job you changed from maize to rye. For maize an Orkel baler is needed (£230k?) plus you still need forage harvesters and trailers to haul to it.

Ag Bags work incredibly well and are not slow despite what people think. On grass at dairy chop length a 10’ Ag Bag will keep up with a 700hp forager.

Rye, If you can get someone with a grouper mower as raking it has a high chance of gathering stones if your on stoney ground. Even an old JD trailled with a grouper putting 2-1 would be sufficient.

 

[Sid]

Store cattle over winter.

We cut it at ear emergence for dry cows.

 

[JSmith]

We cut it at ear emergence for dry cows.

I’ve thought about trying forage rye for sucklers, how many cuts could you get from it, is it a big yielding crop? Is it a one year thing or can you graze it a bit as well!!

 

[Sid]

I’ve thought about trying forage rye for sucklers, how many cuts could you get from it, is it a big yielding crop? Is it a one year thing or can you graze it a bit as well!!

Grazed here in spring multiple times then allowed to ear and cut for dry cow feed

 

[Landrover]

Have done it in the past, If it's still very green, let it wilt for at least 24hrs ! You'd be surprised how much water is in it, ideally a chopper baler and plenty of wrap on it, not that brilliant nutrition wise but good gutfill !

 

[Devil's advocate]

Good job you changed from maize to rye. For maize an Orkel baler is needed (£230k?) plus you still need forage harvesters and trailers to haul to it.

Ag Bags work incredibly well and are not slow despite what people think. On grass at dairy chop length a 10’ Ag Bag will keep up with a 700hp forager.

Rye, If you can get someone with a grouper mower as raking it has a high chance of gathering stones if your on stoney ground. Even an old JD trailled with a grouper putting 2-1 would be sufficient.

You put an extra nought on that baler, still effing expensive at that.

 

[Al R]

You put an extra nought on that baler, still effing expensive at that.

No, about 5-6 years ago I went to see some working in Hampshire on an AD plant and I’m sure they were £230,000!!!!

 

[Fergieman]

We cut it at ear emergence for dry cows.

what else do you feed them and how is your milk fever rate? Inside or out dry period?

 

[Sid]

what else do you feed them and how is your milk fever rate? Inside or out dry period?

Be on restricted grass in summer.
No milk fever.
Outside all summer

 

[Exfarmer]

We cut forage Rye in full ear at about 30 moisture, cut with a precision chop and clamped. Fed very well far above the expectation of our feed advisor

 

[Hesstondriver]

@Mark C

How did you get on with the baled Rye ?

 

[Mark C]

Cattle loved it !

 

[whatnow]

Cattle loved it !

At what GS did you end up cutting? Got some to make this year