Chop or not?

[Jerry]

Pros and cons for chopped haylage bales for ewes…

Better intakes?
Less waste?

Don’t handle so well and risk of exploding bales once unwrapped?

Hope to bale this early next week.

 

[JSmith]

If it’s good stuff I wouldn’t worry about intakes they’ll eat it anyway, I chopped some a couple of years back an they weren’t very handy for handling whilst lambing indoors, lovely stuff though

 

[som farmer]

we chop, bales are heavier, and very very solid, can go over 1 ton, no problems with handling them, net needs to be removed as close to rack/feeder as possible, to avoid waste.

works out cheaper all round, less bales, less wrap/net, less labour. And stock eat more.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Sheep or Cattle?

Always chop for sheep.

 

[Jerry]

Sheep or Cattle?

Always chop for sheep.

Sheep

 

[Jerry]

If it’s good stuff I wouldn’t worry about intakes they’ll eat it anyway, I chopped some a couple of years back an they weren’t very handy for handling whilst lambing indoors, lovely stuff though

It’s nice stuff. 3 year old ley with plenty clover in bottom.

 

[Cameron Zab]

I would chop, tighter bale = less air so better fermentation, also like others have said fewer bales so less wrap and easier for sheep you will need to take net wrap off over feeder . The downside depends on how big your feeder is as I find the bale will go tight inside sheep cradle type feeder and round feeders, we have started using 3 halves to give the bale room to expand without jamming the grass against the feeder making it hard for the sheep to get it out

 

[mixedfmr]

I would chop, tighter bale = less air so better fermentation, also like others have said fewer bales so less wrap and easier for sheep you will need to take net wrap off over feeder . The downside depends on how big your feeder is as I find the bale will go tight inside sheep cradle type feeder and round feeders, we have started using 3 halves to give the bale room to expand without jamming the grass against the feeder making it hard for the sheep to get it out

Started to chop round bales a few years back to try to make my life easier, i was sick of turning bales over because the sheep couldnt get it out of the ring feeder, Blowing a gale, driving rain as i stripped them out by hand from one round feeder to another, Chopping saved about 60% of that job
I have know started to do mini Hestons, No netwrap, NO rotten bales all the way thru, and no turning bales over any more, Just have to be a bit more carefull placing bales on their end for the rings. Would allways chop for sheep

 

[hoff135]

Sheep eat it really well chopped, but I had a ewe killed in the feeder when the centre toppelled over plus another trapped but got her in time. Tried the baled on their side in the feeder, helped but still a risk of large chunks falling.

 

[DanM]

Sheep eat it really well chopped, but I had a ewe killed in the feeder when the centre toppelled over plus another trapped but got her in time. Tried the baled on their side in the feeder, helped but still a risk of large chunks falling.

That bale doesn’t look particularly well chopped to me?

 

[Bury the Trash]

looks all stem as well

 

[hoff135]

That bale doesn’t look particularly well chopped to me?

Aboutb4 inches long

 

[hoff135]

looks all stem as well

Welcome to the North of scotland

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

Been chopping here for about 10 years, Less bales less plastic, won't be stopping but sometimes don't bother if it's short leafy second cut.
1 advantage is any bad or crap left in feeder's is easier to clear up and spreads better out of the muck heap, nothing worse than long silage/ hay wrapping in a rotor spreader

 

[som farmer]

Been chopping here for about 10 years, Less bales less plastic, won't be stopping but sometimes don't bother if it's short leafy second cut.
1 advantage is any bad or crap left in feeder's is easier to clear up and spreads better out of the muck heap, nothing worse than long silage/ hay wrapping in a rotor spreader

2 years ago, baling with a fusion baler, our contractor managed to jam an unwrapped bale, between the bale chamber, and the wrapping bit.

chopped grass, took him 3.5 hours, to pull it all out by hand, it was well and truly stuck in there, as he said, if it hadn't been chopped...........

he wasn't very happy pulling it out, in small handfuls, the only way he could do it.

 

[coniser]

I have had my baler blocked on the feed intake found the best way was to cut the grass with a chain saw

 

[steveR]

I have had my baler blocked on the feed intake found the best way was to cut the grass with a chain saw

I used a disc cutter, and heard one guy used a reciprocating saw, although not sure how well it worked. But, needs must!!