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Managing surplus forage: Producing hay and baled silage
Dennis HancockExtension Forage Specialist
UGA – Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences
2010 Georgia Grazing School
Reasons for surplus forage:
Rapid Forage Growth
Low Stocking Density
Selective Grazing
• Do nothing, let it stay Interference with
growth? Lower forage quality
• Mow to uniform height Pre-top (prior to grazing) Post-top (after grazing) Dealing with residual
• Mow and remove Hay Baled silage Nutrient removal
Options
Clipped (pre- or post-topping) Not clipped
Storage20-45% loss
Harvesting7-15% loss
Feeding10-30% loss
Field curing10-25% loss
It’s not unusual to see total losses of 70% or greater
LOSS ACCUMULATE WITH EACH STEP
Mechanical
Hay 30-70%
Silage 60-85%
Green Chop 70-95%
Efficiencies of Grazing and Mechanized Harvest
Method Efficiency
Grazing
Continuous Stocking 30-40%
Slow Rotation (3-4 paddocks) 50-60%
Moderate Rotation (6-8 paddocks)
60-70%
Strip Grazing, Daily Rotation 70-80%
Hay Production
• Cut forage to maximize drying time• Cut at appropriate height • Allow swath to be spread wide to
maximize drying rate.• Ted the forage morning of next
day(s) Discontinue the use of a tedder when
leaf shatter is occurring. (~10 a.m.)• Bale at target moisture
< 15% for round bales < 18% for square bales
Drying Times Vary
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Days
80
60
40
20
Mois
ture
(%
)
Poor DryingConditionsGood Drying
Conditions
Hay Moisture Problems
Hay Moisture Probe
Contacts
Determining Moisture
Methods:3. Hay Moisture Testers/Probes2. By feel (if calibrated).1. Microwave moisture test
The True Cost of Storage and Feeding Losses
About 3 billion dollars of hay is lost per year from storage and feeding in the
U.S.
(37.5 million tons)
Storage Losses
Source: Forage Crop Pocket Guide
Can I afford to build a barn?
Source: Forage Crop Pocket Guide
Elevated StacksTarped StacksHay ShedsHoop Structures
Other Storage Options
$1.50 – 2.50
$2.00 – 3.00
$3.50+
Feeding Losses
Method 1 day 7 day
---- % Waste----
Unrolled 12.3 43.0
Ring 4.9 5.4
Feeding Losses Item % Waste
Cone 2 - 5
Ring 4 - 7
Trailer 10 - 13
Cradle 15 - 20
Adapted from: Southern Forages (4th ed.) andBuskirk et al., 2003. J. Anim. Sci. 81:109-115
Baled Silage
Baled Silage
Storage5-10% loss
Baling2-5% loss
FeedingMinimal loss
FeedingMinimal loss
Wilting2-5% loss
Fewer Losses Accumulate With
Each Step
End Result: 90% of Original DM
Can be more efficient…
What About Baled Silage??
Advantages: Minimize harvest loss Decrease influence of
weather Capture high-quality Flexible system
Disadvantages: Potential for ‘operator
error’ Cost of materials Added labor Keeping vermin out
Ideal Range, 50-65% Moisture
Rule of thumb:bale when the forage is no longer wet enough to wring juice out of a
handful.
Rule of thumb:bale when the forage is no longer wet enough to wring juice out of a
handful.
Poor Fermentation
Potential for Spoilage or Toxicosis (Clostridial, Listeriosis)
70% 40%70% 40%
Moisture
Bale at the Right Moisture
• Bales will squat and be difficult to handle.
• Plastic will deteriorate over time.
• Bales will begin to spoil.
• Bales will squat and be difficult to handle.
• Plastic will deteriorate over time.
• Bales will begin to spoil.
Feed the Bales w/in 9 Months
• Whole silage bales ring feeder
• Mixed rations tub-ground
• Whole silage bales ring feeder
• Mixed rations tub-ground
Feeding Baled SilageFeeding Baled Silage
Storage Treatment Consumption 2 layers 53%
4 layers 84% 6 layers 88% Hay 44%
Baled silage vs. hay 2, 4, or 6 layers of film
2 layersHay
4 layers6 layers
Baled Silage – An Option for Harvesting High
Quality
Treatment CP TDN RFQ ADG% % (lbs/hd/d)
Bermuda Hay 16.1 a 62.9 b 116 c 1.56 b
Ryegrass Baleage 16.3 a 65.9 a 174 a 1.94 a
Ryegrass Hay 14.7 b 62.4 c 133 b 1.26 b
LSD0.10 0.22 0.35 3.2 0.341
Resources
Resources
QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?
www.georgiaforages.com1-800-ASK-UGA1
www.georgiaforages.com1-800-ASK-UGA1
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