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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