Silage - breakpoint for bales vs. forager

[crashbox]

Looking at the older silage leys, dry weather means less bulk than usual for time of year...

What's the break point for getting in the forager + silage gang vs. going for bales?

Same contractor for both so mowing, tedding, raking all the same.

Some ground near, some far.

Cheers

CB

 

[M-J-G]

Looking at the older silage leys, dry weather means less bulk than usual for time of year...

What's the break point for getting in the forager + silage gang vs. going for bales?

Same contractor for both so mowing, tedding, raking all the same.

Some ground near, some far.

Cheers

CB

Forget tedding if it's that light, or will dry anyway.

Won't your contract or work per/hr for chopping and buckraking on light crops.

 

[kill]

Ex neighbour who was/is seriously on the ball said baling worked out cheaper on 7 bales per acre or below and there's also less waste with bales generally if done well.

Wagon silage would probably bring that figure down to 4-5 bales an acre I'd think and I'd guess less waste with wagon silage as it doesn't get blown over the sides etc as grass gets trapped nicely in the basket as long as decent compaction happens in the pit else waste in dry wagon silage can be horrendous ( have seen 3 ft outside waste on a wagon clamp all the way around due to poor compaction and then rat damage)

 

[JD-Kid]

worked it out years ago if bales carted and stacked in paddock tubelineing. bales. bales took alot of beating. but once longer carts. pit silage was cheep
only other thing if crops not all at best stage. bales can be better feed value. as not needing to do bigger area to fill pit etc
alot of swings and roundabouts both systems have good and bad points

 

[exmoorromney]

Depends where you are and what your contractor charges I suppose. We have been quoted £52 an acre for pit silage this year which includes mowing, raking, one tractor and trailer hauling and borrowing a trailer to put on our tractor and a guy on the pit, extra £2 an acre if we want them to put their tractor and man on the other trailer. Thought that was very reasonable and cheaper than the wagon we had in last year.

 

[crashbox]

Thanks all, on the lighter ground bales looks like the best option at the moment.