Wrapping hay and straw for outside storage

[scrubbuster]

Does anyone wrap hay and straw to reduce waste and does it work well? Is a double layer (minimum wrap) enough?

 

[Rod Dumbreck]

I wrapped some straw for a stud (years ago) and it went mouldy.

 

[Chae1]

Yeah, we'd tubeline about a thousand bales of straw a year for ourselves, do a bit of contracting with it too.

Don't do any hay. Works fine with straw.

 

[M-J-G]

I've wrapped hay and straw and tube-lined straw, works fine.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Last time I wrapped straw it went rank....never again

 

[scrubbuster]

I've wrapped hay and straw and tube-lined straw, works fine.

When individual wrapping is just a single covering, i.e just making the be black sufficient?

 

[M-J-G]

When individual wrapping is just a single covering, i.e just making the be black sufficient?

On nice soft hay I just cover it with 2 layers, rough Timothy needs 4 or even 6.

 

[M-J-G]

You'll only get mould or decay if there is moisture, air or both. It's simple science.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

You'll only get mould or decay if there is moisture, air or both. It's simple science.

If there is moisture you get haylage ?
If its wrapped that is
Hay will be fine wrapped

 

[Danllan]

Last time I wrapped straw it went rank....never again

Tried a few times long ago, failed each time, fortunately only experimental batches & not whole cut wasted. There just isn't the leeway you get with hay/lage, if it's got the slightest damp it's had it...

 

[M-J-G]

If there is moisture you get haylage ?
If its wrapped that is
Hay will be fine wrapped

It partially depends on the grass to a point, the tipping point varies depending on sugar levels.

But if hay or straw is dry it can't mould, with the exception of condensation under the plastic, but that tends to be nothing.

 

[michael N123]

Wrap straw every year if it’s not chopped three the baler it’s horrible if it’s chopped it comes out lovely.... can anyone explain that ?!

 

[JMTHORNLEY]

With the weather the way it was last year I wrapped all the hay we made, two layers on and from about 90 bales 5 maybe 6 went bad. The trick with it is leaving it out over night for a day or so if weather permits. Though last year it was hay in two days...

 

[Dry Rot]

There are plenty of studies on storing hay, etc,. outside.

Basically, it will keep whatever the moisture if you totally exclude air. And that's the problem.

 

[Skintagain]

Left 100 bales of hay for 5 days last year before getting man to wrap it. Just like the day it went in. Also wrapped 50 bales of straw as a test again just like the day it went in. Obviously very dry last year.

 

[andybk]

i have a good friend that makes a lot of quality horse haylage , he recons you cant get first cut to dry and it keeps well as there is always some moisture in the stem , second cut or cut mid july on (less sugars ) dead stem will mould unless very dry

 

[David.]

Wrapped dry rough hay last year, smelled sweet when baled. Got rats in heap, went mausey. Think grass lacked sugars and moisture to ferment sufficiently and obviously you get condensation in the bale and wet through the layers. Then rats let some air in, all in all a disappointing Winters feed and will not be repeating exercise.
Needs decent grass going in, with some sugar and a bit of moisture.

 

[Jim75]

Most of ours tends to be nearer hay than haylage and have wrapped the last 3 yrs and been fine as we’ve no shed storage at the right time of yr

 

[4course]

weve wrapped both hay and straw, hay weve found is best left in field or if possible put in an unused summer shed i.e cured before wrapping for as long as poss and then wrapped before stacking outside, straw has to be very dry and is best if from a crop thats been glyphoed and better still if chopped found a 54321 round stack containing a months supply with a weighted plastic sheet as good and cheaper, the biggest problem is keeping the long tailed feckers out

 

[4course]

Wrap straw every year if it’s not chopped three the baler it’s horrible if it’s chopped it comes out lovely.... can anyone explain that ?!

air/ compression could be your bales are too soft