Haylage bale additive? Convince me....

[DrDunc]

So what are the forage analysis benefits of buying an additive applicator for the baler?

How long to recover the outlay through improved feeding (assuming it does more than just make the bales smell nice when opened).

 

[d williams]

So what are the forage analysis benefits of buying an additive applicator for the baler?

How long to recover the outlay through improved feeding (assuming it does more than just make the bales smell nice when opened).

You wouldn’t beet the sun
Waste of money for bales unless it’s silage your putting into the bales

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I asked my contractor who tried it on bales and said it was a waste of time , extra layer of wrap would do more good

 

[balerman]

I asked my contractor who tried it on bales and said it was a waste of time , extra layer of wrap would do more good

Agree with that.

 

[steveR]

I asked my contractor who tried it on bales and said it was a waste of time , extra layer of wrap would do more good

Told the same t'other day.

 

[hally]

Told the same t'other day.

I could only imagine that additives would help if the grass was short of sugars so unless its cut very young i couldnt see much advantage

 

[ploughman1963]

When we were doing a lot of haylage we tried using an additive - my conclusion was that putting 8 layers on was far more cost effective.

 

[Boohoo]

Haven't tried an additive yet but there's been a noticeable improvement in haylage quality by going from 6 layers to 8. I hear that net replacement film plus 6 layers is better again but haven't been able to try it yet.
Know of one local baler that has an applicator and know that some people tried half with additive and half without but haven't heard any feedback yet.

 

[DrDunc]

Thank you all for the feedback!

I've bought in bales of fairly stemmy grass to feed dry cows with. It's had some sort of additive and smells gorgeous, but there's a fair bit of spoilage in some bales. It's either been handled badly at the stack, or wasn't wrapped very well too begin with.

I'll not bother investigating bale additive any further now!

 

[ploughman1963]

Part of my reasoning for opting for 8 layers was also that we effectively eliminated ANY waste/returned bales as the bales could withstand any amount of handling AND customers cats claws !!

 

[Agrivator]

Never wash the inside of the baler. Lactobacilli bacteria build up on the baler (and mower and rakes) during use, which act in just the same way as additives.

Ideally, at the start of the season, re-baling one of last years good bales will allow a much quicker build-up.

Alternatively, spraying the inside of the baler with a cheap additive would help. What oily diluent other than water would allow it to stick?

 

[DrDunc]

By the sounds of it, I've already improved bale quality more by the way they're wrapped, than I will by using additive.

I bought a Kuhn 1810 "3D" wrapper last year. It can first wrap film around the circumference first, as if the baler had applied it in the chamber instead of net, but with the addition of extra over the shoulders of the bale. It then applies 4 layers "conventionally" over the top.

Bale quality is significantly improved omparing fields where half was wrapped with 6 layer, and half using the Kuhn "3D", despite using no more plastic.

I'm not selling bales, just want to reduce my bought in feed bill!

 

[ploughman61]

although i sell additive , i am not a big fan of it think it is expensive for what it is around £1 per ton treated, the best additive is the sun mow when sugars are high and bale with the sun on it, and don't skimp on wrap how many bales do you have to save to pay for those extra layers of wrap. at the end of the day your cheapest feed is your grass so preserve it correctly and it will pay you hands down

 

[davidroberts30]

By the sounds of it, I've already improved bale quality more by the way they're wrapped, than I will by using additive.

I bought a Kuhn 1810 "3D" wrapper last year. It can first wrap film around the circumference first, as if the baler had applied it in the chamber instead of net, but with the addition of extra over the shoulders of the bale. It then applies 4 layers "conventionally" over the top.

Bale quality is significantly improved omparing fields where half was wrapped with 6 layer, and half using the Kuhn "3D", despite using no more plastic.

I'm not selling bales, just want to reduce my bought in feed bill!

Thank you all for the feedback!

I've bought in bales of fairly stemmy grass to feed dry cows with. It's had some sort of additive and smells gorgeous, but there's a fair bit of spoilage in some bales. It's either been handled badly at the stack, or wasn't wrapped very well too begin with.

I'll not bother investigating bale additive any further now!

cut younger!!

 

[DrDunc]

cut younger!!

Home grown stuff has been getting cut younger!

Still haven't got my head around the resultant lower quantity of higher feed value bales.....

..... Bloody cows are too used to getting their bellies filled with the stemmy stuff that I've had to buy in