Small bale hay

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Small bale hay
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dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46211
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Jul 14, 16 10:48 pm Post subject:
having read their wise words im wondering if wilby was being optimistic after badly timed rain as the stuff had just been baled, tis close on 50 yrs ago he was pretty chuffed to have a baler rather than a fork and cart .

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 7:51 am Post subject:

Thanks. I think the answer will be what will be, will be. I've no choice in work and no control over the weather.

It's food, but only for horses and we have a massive excess*, so they can just eat more. Or starve. I'm easy.

As for tools, I've a teenager or two and a small trailer. They'll be stacked in a series of small sheds on pallets.

Sun through Wednesday would be the perfect answer.

*of both hay, and arguably, horses.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 11:30 am Post subject:

Ty Gwyn wrote:

Slim wrote:

Ty Gwyn wrote:

Slim wrote:

Ty Gwyn wrote:

Not recommended for small bales,fine for round bales.

Even that's not great if you can help it. Something like 30% of the bale is in the outer 6 inches which where you lose your quality and dry matter.....

If you store round bales to soon,you have a danger of a fire,
And lose all your dry matter.

Nobody wants a barn fire, but at that point they were wetter than you were hoping for anyway and you're losing quality there as well. (not that weather is likely to cooperate with anybody during haymaking......)

I take it you have handled a lot of big bale hay?

Nope, I'm more veggies background and have been learning about forage quality, etc over the past few years. More of an academic than a practitioner these days. Sorry if I have a tone of more experience than I should!

I agree that a barn fire is worse than quality and dry matter loss! I'm just pointing out that if your bales are at risk of spontaneous combustion than they were baled wetter than you would be aiming for. (Baleage is a totally different story, and probably what I would be trying to do if I were feeding cows/sheep)

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46211
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 11:54 am Post subject:

Nick wrote:

if you have teenagers and a tarp perhaps making a tarp sandwich of them as soon as they emerge from the bailer would avoid them getting wet before there is chance to move and stack them properly.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 12:02 pm Post subject:
Shouldn't the teenagers be following the baler and picking up the bales anyway?

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 1:16 pm Post subject:

Slim wrote:

Ty Gwyn wrote:

Slim wrote:

Ty Gwyn wrote:

Slim wrote:

Ty Gwyn wrote:

Not recommended for small bales,fine for round bales.

Even that's not great if you can help it. Something like 30% of the bale is in the outer 6 inches which where you lose your quality and dry matter.....

If you store round bales to soon,you have a danger of a fire,
And lose all your dry matter.

I take it you have handled a lot of big bale hay?

No problem Slim,
Baleage is not a term we use over here,do you mean Haylage or Silage?

Baling bale`s wetter than what was aimed at would be disasterous for hay,they would be dusty and mouldy,that`s where the wrapping saves the day.

Even if hay is baled in prestine condition in perfect weather its still not advisable to store straight away,a test to let you know when its safe is to insert a rebar into the centre of the bale for a few minutes,pull out and feel the bar,the temp will tell you when safe.

Where you can cart small bales straight to storage,large bales have approx. 10 small bales in the make up,that`s a lot of hay to heat up.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 1:21 pm Post subject:
Baleage is what we call wrapped bales (giant field marshmallows to children). A lot drier than would be put up in a glass-lined silo, and drier than would be put up in a bunk or an "ag bag". But still the same idea, allowed to ferment in the bale.

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 1:24 pm Post subject:

Slim wrote:

Shouldn't the teenagers be following the baler and picking up the bales anyway?

I'm guessing you've read a lot about teenagers, but never handled one tho?

If I can get them out of bed, it'd be a result.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46211
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 1:41 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Slim wrote:

Shouldn't the teenagers be following the baler and picking up the bales anyway?

I'm guessing you've read a lot about teenagers, but never handled one tho?

If I can get them out of bed, it'd be a result.

bbq and beer for them and their helpers is often a good inducement IF the job spec is very clearly defined

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 1:43 pm Post subject:
Pfft, you're doing it wrong. Mine is redecorating his bedroom.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 1:48 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

Nick wrote:

Slim wrote:

Shouldn't the teenagers be following the baler and picking up the bales anyway?

I'm guessing you've read a lot about teenagers, but never handled one tho?

If I can get them out of bed, it'd be a result.

bbq and beer for them and their helpers is often a good inducement IF the job spec is very clearly defined

Beer would be quite the inducement for a teenager here, as even the oldest isn't legally allowed to touch the stuff for another 2 years! (may also lead to jail time for the supplier)

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 3:16 pm Post subject:

Slim wrote:

dpack wrote:

Nick wrote:

Slim wrote:

Shouldn't the teenagers be following the baler and picking up the bales anyway?

I'm guessing you've read a lot about teenagers, but never handled one tho?

If I can get them out of bed, it'd be a result.

bbq and beer for them and their helpers is often a good inducement IF the job spec is very clearly defined

Beer would be quite the inducement for a teenager here, as even the oldest isn't legally allowed to touch the stuff for another 2 years! (may also lead to jail time for the supplier)

To be fair, one at 19 will do almost anything I ask, but he does consume very heavily on the beer & BBQ front. He does need complete, specific and unwavering instructions, too.

The 17 year old is glued to a duvet or a screen, and rarely surfaces. It's easier to do stuff around him than get him to do anything. Especially if it involves outside. He will, occasionally, be motivated by pizza, and the odd alcohol free cider.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 16 3:39 pm Post subject:

I haven't followed all that through, but I am told, and we did it when I was a farm pupil, that spreading salt over the wet bales would prevent a fire. This was also done post student days, on another farm I worked on when the bales were on the wetter side of dry, so if you are worried then perhaps worth a phone call to a college or an advisor of some sort, NFU or FUW; does ADAS still exist in an advisory capacity?-I'm only trying to help!!

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 16 12:38 pm Post subject:
450, Way more than I need have been safely tucked into the stable buildings. One bumble bee sting/nip. Minimal casualties. The remaining bales are likely to be sold straight from the field. No rain occurred. I started shifting them this morning at 7.30. Teenager turned up to help with the last load about 12.45 Useless.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46211
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 16 1:43 pm Post subject:
glad you got them in dry. i guess it will be one hotdog and bring you beer then

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