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on Friday, December 14, 2018
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Storing forage as baleage can be done with an in-line wrapper that continuously wraps bales in a long plastic-wrapped "tube," or by an individual bale wrapper located at the storage or processing site or one mounted on a "wrapping table" on the back of a baler.
Kim Mullenix, Auburn University’s Extension Beef Cattle Systems Specialist, says storing forage as baleage can be done with an in-line wrapper that continuously wraps bales in a long plastic-wrapped “tube,” or by an individual bale wrapper located at the storage or processing site or one mounted on a “wrapping table” on the back of a baler.
In-line wrappers are more expensive to purchase, but they can handle more bales per hour and can use less wrapping material. They require no additional tractor and usually require less labor. In-line wrapped bales require a storage area large enough to accommodate the long “tube” of forage, and space to access the tube when removing forage for feeding — and a method of sealing the tube after it is opened to remove forage.
Individual wrappers cost less initially and produce bales that can be transported individually while wrapped. They also handle fewer bales per hour than an in-line wrapper.
What & When
Baleage can be made from a variety of cool-season or warm-season forages adapted to the region, Mullenix explains.
“Cool-season annuals are an especially good fit for this system for two reasons, however: 1.) They represent a high quality forage source when harvested at the appropriate stage of maturity, and 2.) growers can work around some of the less than ideal conditions for drying down forages during the spring when rainfall, cooler weather and shorter days make conventional haying nearly impossible,” she explains.
The stage of plant maturity at harvest is the single largest factor affecting feeding value of baleage.
“Making baleage instead of hay does not guarantee a better quality product,” Mullenix explains. “What goes in must come out, and putting up low quality forage only means a low-quality feed product at the end of the day.”
Given the need for proper harvest timing, the overall feed value of baleage can be quite high, however, she says.
“Cool-season annual forages often range between 58-62% TDN when harvested at the appropriate stage of maturity. Crude protein values may range from 12-16%.
“These values are often sufficient to meet the nutritional needs of a mature brood cow without supplementation or significantly decreased supplementation needs,” she says.
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As take from the article: Beef Producers Renewing Demand for Baleage Equipment - View the full article here.
Sydenstricker works with Show Me Shortline of Centralia to fulfill this product line - Call our Mexico dealership at 573-581-5900 with questions or learn more - http://www.showmeshortline.com/bale-wrappers.html