Calling the bale silage kings! Butyric bales?

[Farmer_1994]

Would individual wrapped bales be less likely to go butyric? Have some barley that we mowed hoping it would dry some before more snow, currently at 26%dm. I know if chopped and piled it won’t keep, just wondering if bales would maybe keep. Probably 80-100 bales if we did it.

 

[Mr Mackay]

It may well keep in bale form , not sure why it would go Butyric if clamped ? I am not sure how you would take advantage of the grain ?? Would they pass the grain out in the dung?
And how will you keep the rats out of it!!?

 

[Farmer_1994]

It may well keep in bale form , not sure why it would go Butyric if clamped ? I am not sure how you would take advantage of the grain ?? Would they pass the grain out in the dung?
And how will you keep the rats out of it!!?

We’ve put some chopped barley up before and it was 30%dm, did everything right but still didn’t seem to ferment properly. Had a slight odour. Feed is tight this year so don’t want to take the chance of putting sh!te up just to spread back on the field. Not much grain in this as it was regrowth from previous cutting. To much regrowth to till and just enough to justify knocking down with mower.

 

[organicguy]

We’ve put some chopped barley up before and it was 30%dm, did everything right but still didn’t seem to ferment properly. Had a slight odour. Feed is tight this year so don’t want to take the chance of putting sh!te up just to spread back on the field. Not much grain in this as it was regrowth from previous cutting. To much regrowth to till and just enough to justify knocking down with mower.

There are lots biological additives which can do remarkable things to ensure a "good" fermentation. I am not convinced it would be any safer in bales than a clamp, although you are spreading your risk.

 

[Mr Mackay]

If its youngish stuff then an additive would help a great deal , but it may well be ok in bales without . Feed it early rather than later in the year (not sure how quick you dare after baling , but shouldnt think it would be a problem ! )
No doubt someone will be along in a minute who knows a tad more

 

[Farmer_1994]

We are going to go ahead and bale this stuff, doubt it will even ferment as we are in negative temperatures now till next spring. Chopped one load as green feed the other day, heifers went bananas for it. But could squeeze effluent out by hand. I think bales is best because of the longer length of cut and no open pit face, just feed up a bale a day..

 

[Sharpy]

Then you will be feeding "fresh cut forage" all winter with no fermentation losses. Baled some frozen grass in December for a customer and some was still very cold in March.

 

[Farmer_1994]

Then you will be feeding "fresh cut forage" all winter with no fermentation losses. Baled some frozen grass in December for a customer and some was still very cold in March.

I don’t know about all winter.. we get to -40 by January, by then I think the bales will be solid bricks and I don’t fancy trying to break them or break equipment trying to feed them haha