Kaleage?

[JMTHORNLEY]

Had a bit of a thought just, chewed some ground up last year and the moment I got out the field with the feet spinner it never stopped raining so didn’t get chance to get on it with seed for a break crop. Ground has stood all winter unrolled and re germinated so a lot of trash and weed in there that would have come through with the break crop. Plan is to spray off this weekend if weather is nice and plaster with shite and incorporate. Then seed with a half dose or kale/rape hybrid and put some grass seed mixture in that I’ve had sat round for a good while. It’s a tetraploid mix with red clover and timothy.

Thinking as I won’t have anything to graze it well enough to get any benefit from it as I’d normally use my weanlings over break crops, to bale the whole lot up as one with the hope the kale will act as a bit of a nurse crop for the grass but also the grass and clover will help fermentation in the bale?
Good idea/bad idea?
Anyone done it before, I’d welcome suggestions

 

[Agrivator]

Baled kale has been tried. It's too wet and too heavy.

 

[JMTHORNLEY]

Even at half rate and left to wilt?

 

[le bon paysan]

Used to be a video about kaleage,
Was it Ron Patey

 

[Sharpy]

Could you get it agbaged?

 

[JMTHORNLEY]

Could you get it agbaged?

Only have about 7 acre to do J so might struggle to get someone over

 

[Sharpy]

Only have about 7 acre to do J so might struggle to get someone over

Ahh..... Bale it with a variable chamber baler and reduce the size down to reduce weight?

 

[JMTHORNLEY]

Good idea. Was just going to run with the chopper disengaged on the RP220 and make them firm but lightish bales so they keep their shape a tad?

 

[Sharpy]

Good idea. Was just going to run with the chopper disengaged on the RP220 and make them firm but lightish bales so they keep their shape a tad?

Any time we baled silage (only ever with a fixed chamber) with a lot of redshank in it the bales sunk like you wouldn't believe, its hollow and wet but narrow. I am sure kale would be worse.

 

[Agrivator]

I have copied and pasted the following. In summary, do not attempt to bale kale. It will almost certainly be a disaster, and the effluent will incur the wrath of the Environment Protection Agencies.
And in the immortal words of a Harry Enfield character - ''You don't want to do that''.

Just use the cheapest italian Ryegrass as a nurse crop instead.


Brassica Silage
Many (stupid, half-witted, mentally-retarded) farmers have opted to conserve these crops, mainly as baled silage, for feeding during the winter.

Although weather conditions (rain and frost) at present are not favourable, should the weather take a turn for the better, here are a number of key points to consider.

1) Wilting
Although challenging due to the damp conditions and short day length at this time of the year, it is important to try and wilt the crop in the field.

Wilting will reduce the dry matter (DM) of the herbage and – if possible – it should be carried out for two-to-three days.

Wilting will aid preservation as these low DM forage crops can release a significant amount of effluent. According to research carried out by the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research in the UK, even after wilting, the DM of the silage will range from 14% to 16%.

Wet bales are likely to sag and lose shape which can lead to unwanted air entering the bale. As a result, crop preservation will be compromised and lead to spoilage.
Also, effluent can build up and leak through the plastic wrapping and disrupt the air tight seal.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Graze off as nice as possible and grass will be revealed underneath??

 

[Bob the beef]

Fella that was in this place before me used to bale kale . Absolute rocket fuel if you get it ok.......but very difficult stuff to bale and handle. He eventually had to buy a 20 year old NH chain and slat baler to lift it, and as said bales will be seriously heavy.. Belt balers just slipped on the stuff and roller balers clogged up rollers

 

[Danllan]

Baled kale has been tried. It's too wet and too heavy.

Even at half rate and left to wilt?

I've a chum back in Herts who's done, just, but it's very hard to get it right - I think it was mostly just an expensive way to produce a bad smell and hard-to-move sludge. £...

 

[Sidneyeire]

Video: Newfangled system of baling two forages into one - Agriland.ie

A contractor outside Birr, Co. Offaly, has been experimenting with methods to preserve extra forages that has been grown this autumn.

www.agriland.ie

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I baled a crop of fathen once, did a lovely job of cleaning out the inside of the baler.
And did an even better job of snapping baler chains.

Personally feel you may be better off sowing a grass/oats mix and using the mow/bale as your second 'weed controlling pass' as I've seen kale silage and wouldn't be tempted.

 

[som farmer]

cousin grew kale, to put a layer through his silage clamp, like previous comments, a slimy mess, certainly thought he did it for cussedness, as everyone told him it wouldn't work. And I reckoned it spoilt more grass silage, than it's added volume !!! But, in theory, looks a sound move. It's been talked about for years, never caught on, surely that answers the question.

 

[JMTHORNLEY]

That’s that well and truly ruled out then ? Thought I was being dead clever as well...

Any kind of oats work better for sowing with grass? Had thought about an arable silage mix with some spring barley? Just worried about rats

 

[Agrivator]

That’s that well and truly ruled out then ? Thought I was being dead clever as well...

Any kind of oats work better for sowing with grass? Had thought about an arable silage mix with some spring barley? Just worried about rats

No need to worry about the rats. They love arable silage, and will be eternally grateful.

 

[som farmer]

No need to worry about the rats. They love arable silage, and will be eternally grateful.

we baled some grass, with a lot of barley in it, neither us, or our neighbour, could use them fast enough, birds and vermin, just stripped the plastic off, 75 bales of winter grub, used in 28 days/ summer. Shan't ever do it again !

 

[JMTHORNLEY]

we baled some grass, with a lot of barley in it, neither us, or our neighbour, could use them fast enough, birds and vermin, just stripped the plastic off, 75 bales of winter grub, used in 28 days/ summer. Shan't ever do it again !

I am sure I've seen you post about this problem before thinking about it.