Barley and pea wholecrop

[Smokey16]

I'm looking at round baling and wrapping my wholecrop and stacking in my field any advise will be greatfull. Thanks

 

[HarryB97]

I'm looking at round baling and wrapping my wholecrop and stacking in my field any advise will be greatfull. Thanks

Clamp it! If you have to bale it make sure the bales are spread out and stacked on their own or in lines that are far apart or the rats will ruin everyone, don't stack near hedges or anywhere near straw on buildings

 

[Smokey16]

Thanks I was going to stack them on top of my silage bales

 

[ridger]

I'm looking at round baling and wrapping my wholecrop and stacking in my field any advise will be greatfull. Thanks

Don't

 

[Smokey16]

Don't

I can't clamp it because I haven't got a pit

 

[Renee Bells]

Clamp it! If you have to bale it make sure the bales are spread out and stacked on their own or in lines that are far apart or the rats will ruin everyone, don't stack near hedges or anywhere near straw on buildings

Hi I will love to know more details

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Hi I will love to know more details

What more can he say . Rats will come for miles .they can smell them . It's like a drug to them .put them in a big stack and you will end up with a stack of compost .

 

[Mc115reed]

You’d be far better just putting a mound in the field rats will build a village in the bales and ruin them all...

 

[Kevtherev]

Silage pit if you can or they will be a rat restaurant.

 

[Celt83]

We’ve baled wholecrop for years and haven’t had problems yet. The odd bale or two but not the stack full.

We think by putting at least 8 layers on and throw sand on the floor and between the bales it keeps the critters away.

An old boy told me years ago that rats don’t like sand in their ears.

 

[Pistonbroke]

Western Seeds advice is to cut when green and before the grains are formed. Starch is lower but sugar far higher and not so nice for rats. I haven't had a problem since following that,but there's always next time.

 

[Dog&stick]

Baled whole crop for a few years, baited around the stack well, got away with it, if you have a rat issue, ul have a bigger one.
Also dont leave late in season to use, usually bit mold creeping in.

 

[ridger]

I can't clamp it because I haven't got a pit

That's my problem as well so I usually end up selling it.

 

[Dog Bowl]

Few years ago I couldn't fit the last 6 acres of pea and barley whole crop into the clamp so decided to bale it.

Not one bale was feedable come winter. Rats damaged every one.

I extended the clamp after that!

 

[sodbuster]

Ag-bag it. Job done

 

[KB6930]

We always did a bit of peas and stacked it separate to the grass one year had a bad crop so ends up with 30 bales so just put them on the side of the grass stack ........ Never seen a rat on the farm but they did all the pea bales and had a nibble at the 500 grass bales just to check there wasn't any more !!!

Personally I'd just clamp it in the field in a mound and put a good foot of grass over the top to hide the smell

Ag bag will do it but they're an arse of a thing to empty and tidy up and if the vermin find it they could potentially split it from end to end I've seen one done by peacocks pecking it along the top

 

[ridger]

Few years ago I couldn't fit the last 6 acres of pea and barley whole crop into the clamp so decided to bale it.

Not one bale was feedable come winter. Rats damaged every one.

I extended the clamp after that!

Same here, baled 90 bales one year and fed 15 before they were unusable

 

[Smokey16]

Thanks it's my first time doing wholecrop myself I heard the same about putting sand around the bales how do you stack them and where

 

[Smokey16]

I was gunna feed my wholecrop first to all my stock first soon as the come in

 

[ajcc]

I have just made a stack of 150 undersown barley whole crop bales last week. The stack is 80 metres from any wall, fence or cover. Sheep and cattle will graze around it but it will be well fenced with turned out rabbit netting and c8/80 stockfence and electric “standoff wire.” Also numerous rat bait points and sachets within stack.
I grow baled barley whole crop every year for last ten years and it’s excellent way to reseed and bonus of lot of baled silage.
Rats will be a problem if you ignore them and let them colonise uninterrupted, but I’m a sportsman and gamekeeper and vermin can be successfully combated.