wrapping hay bales??

Anonymous-0 · Jun 3, 2009

Hey folks,
Someone just mentioned wrapping round bales because of my storage problem (lack of). This is for horses. If finished hay is wrapped, is there still a risk of botulism if the wrap is punctured as in with silo?

Any advise is appreciated as machines are in the fields now. Figure the cost of wrapping would be covered by the hay not lost by storing outside.

Thanks, Dave

Nancy Howell · Jun 3, 2009

I have horses, too. The only time I wrapped hay tightly (square bales), I had condensation form on the inside of the wrap causing black mold on the hay. I had to throw about 1/2 of it away.

Brokenwrench · Jun 3, 2009

Theres a difference between net wrapped bales, and what we call around here bale wrap or baleage.

I net wrap all my hay, for cows or horses. Net wrap basically takes the place of twine. If hay is stored outside, it keeps better net wrapped than with twine. Hay still has to be dry to bale it.

Bale wrap is more like bagging silage. The hay is cut, baled wet, then bagged. It kind of goes thru the same fermenting process and ends up like silage(haylage).

To me, if you have the choice between net wrap and twine, and need to store the hay outside, I would definately have it net wrapped.

Baleage is big around here for dairy, they unbag the bale and run it in a TMR mixer basically as hi protien silage. Definately not for horses, youd have some serious bloating, twisted stomach, foundering going on.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 3, 2009

guess I'll leave it alone.....We've never had a sick horse (because of feed) except one that got ahold of some unsoaked beet pulp and choked. Rather they eat the older shell than mold.

Thanks,

Dave

Anonymous-0 · Jun 3, 2009

A neighbor of mine wraps hay in black plastic uses it for his beef cattle. The hay must be dry and wrapped without getting rained on. I've used a couple to feed my daughter's ewes last winter didn't see any mold or rot.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 3, 2009

Do a google search for slip on bale bonnets, or use the link below, I use them, they cost about $3/sleeve, takes 5-6 minutes to knock a bale over on its flat end, and pull down the black bale sleeve over the bale, then flip the bale back over. The black color keeps the moisture evaporating from the top, wicking up from the bottom and the fact that it surrounds the whole bale, keeps it from blowing off. Also, they last longer than tarps, I have some that are over a year old, now, with no damage, except where the buzzards roost on em! Plus when they are cut off the bale, you can use Em for plastic mulch around yer t'maters!
bale bonnets, pokey here

keh · Jun 3, 2009

Dave,

Ag schools here studied round bale loss and found that most loss was caused by contact with the ground. Good tight bales stored off the ground, like on poles, pallets, old tires with holes made in the side walls so water won't collect, didn't have near as much hay loss. I don't know how bales stored outside work for horses, but neighbor who has a few cows and horses feeds them all the same hay with no problems. Inexpensive horses seem to do quite well on any hay they can get, but I don't have horses so this if not an expert opinion.

KEH

Anonymous-0 · Jun 3, 2009

Horses will do fine on balage.

Used to make wrapped balage bales for a neighbors horses. According to him balage has been fed to horses for the past 20+ years in Ireland.

Its doubtful they would eat a spoiled bale unless they were starving.

wrapping hay bales??

Anonymous-0

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Nancy Howell

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Brokenwrench

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keh

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