Hay Day Management Nuts & Bolts of Making Hay and Silage Bob Schultheis Natural Resource Engineering Specialist

Transcription

1 Hay Day Management Nuts & Bolts of Making Hay and Silage Bob Schultheis Natural Resource Engineering Specialist Thanks to Rob Kallenbach, State Forage Specialist, for some slides used in this presentation

2 Just be glad you're not getting all the government you're paying for. -- Will Rogers Can you afford to think this way in the hay business? Can you afford to spend $2 to get $1 back? 2

3 Typical Forage Harvesting Losses Field curing -26% Harvesting -14% 30% Left Storage -35% Feeding -30% 3

4 Optimum Forage Harvesting Losses Field curing -12% Harvesting -8% 70% Left Storage -5% Feeding -8% 4

5 Important Factors for Quality Hay Forage species Cutting - stage of maturity at harvest Baling - moisture content at baling Handling Storage conditions Feeding methods 5

6 Best Forage Cutting Stage Tall fescue / Native WSG = boot Orchardgrass = blooms emerged Bermudagrass = every 28 days Caucasian bluestem = late boot Red clover = 1/4 to 1/2 bloom Alfalfa = 1/10 bloom, then every 28 days Lespedeza = 30% bloom Cereal crops = boot to milk 6

7 Stage of Growth Affect Intake The leaves contain about 2/3rds of the plant nutrients 7

8 Forage Moisture Affects Dry Matter Harvest & Storage Losses Garbage Zone 8

9 Hay and Silage Making Losses Mechanical handling losses Leaching losses Respiration losses

10 Mechanical Handling Losses Mowing Raking Tedding Baling or chopping Handling

11 Mowing & Conditioning Losses Type of Mower % D.M. Lost % Leaves Lost Sicklebar mower only 1 2 Sicklebar mower, fluted rolls 2 3 Disc mower, fluted rolls 3 4 Disc mower, flail conditioner

12 Sickle vs. Disc Clean cut Slower Low horsepower Close cut (too close?) Quicker Higher horsepower Cumbersome to mount

13 Use Wide Swaths Maximizes solar drying capacity Can reduce drying time by 50% Gives hay a more even color

14 Mechanically Condition Hay Stems and leaves dry at nearly the same rate Breaks cuticle or waxy layer Can reduce drying time 30-50%

15 Flail (Impeller) Mowers Photo credit: Dennis Hancock, Univ. of Georgia Faster drying the first day breaks vascular tissue Works best for thin-stemmed grasses over thick stem and leafy forages

16 Raking & Tedding Losses Moisture Content % D.M. Lost Raking % Leaves Lost % D.M. Lost Tedding % Leaves Lost 70% % % % %

17 Use a Tedder EARLY in the Process Best used on legumes within 4 hours of cutting Use the morning after cutting Be sure hay is not too dry before finishing Can reduce drying time 20 to 30%

18 Leaching Losses Can remove 40% of the nutrients in a single event Dramatically reduces the marketability of hay Minimizing drying time is the key

19 Baling Losses Forage Moisture Content Pickup + Chamber % D.M. Lost % Leaves Lost 25%, with preservative % %

20 Shape Dictates Moisture Content at Baling Small Square Bales Large Round Bales 5.5 x lbs sq.ft. = 2.8 lbs./sq.ft lbs sq.ft. = 8.4 lbs./sq.ft. 20

21 Effect of Moisture Content on Hay Quality

22 Forage Moisture Testing Heater/fan dryer (Koster unit) $374 Electrical conductance moisture meter $446 Microwave $50 - $100 Photo credit: Photo credit: Photo credit: Reference: Determining Forage Moisture Concentration Prices as of December

23 Maximum Hay Moisture Content (%) at Baling Percent Moisture Content 22% 18% 16% Reference: MU Guide G3151 Using a Microwave Oven to Determine Moisture in Forages 23

24 Final Moisture Content of Baled Hay, % Relative Humidity, % Temperature, F At a given temperature and relative humidity, there is a corresponding moisture content below which the hay will no longer release moisture. 24

25 Minimize Ash Content When Harvesting Forages Internal and external ash External dirt and dust Normal internal 8% for legumes 6% for grasses Typical amounts found = 9-18% 18% ash means 1 lb. of dirt is fed out of each 5 lbs. of hay or silage fed! 25

26 Tips to Minimize Ash Content 1. Use flat knives on disc mowers 2. Raise the cutter bar of a disc mower 3. Avoid harvesting lodged forage 4. Keep the windrow off the ground 5. Keep rake tines from ground contact 6. Windrow mergers move hay laterally without rolling it 7. Store hay off the ground 8. Store silage piles on concrete 26

27

28 Practical Ways Producers Can Speed Haymaking Use weather forecasting to minimize exposure to rain Cut forage higher to let stems support swath Dry hay in wide swaths as opposed to narrow windrows Mechanically condition hay Ted hay in the morning ~ 65% moisture Use a preservative Make silage or baleage instead of hay

29 Silage More energy per acre than hay Flexible harvest schedule Lower harvest losses Totally mechanized handling Less dependent on weather but. Higher capital investment Must be fed soon after taken from storage No ready off-farm market Bulky to store; costly to transport

30 Harvest Moisture Content Depends on Silo Type Conventional tower silos = 63 68% M.C. Limited-oxygen silos = 55-60% M.C. Silage bales = 50-60% M.C. Photo credit: University of Wisconsin Photo credit: Horizontal silos = 65 70% M.C. Silo bags = 65% M.C. Photo credit: University of Wisconsin Photo credit: University of Wisconsin 30

31 Making Good Silage Wilt forage to correct moisture Pack material tightly Chop 3/8 to 1/2 length Ensile as quickly as possible Fast fermentation leads to a more stable feed and more nutrient retention KEEP THE OXYGEN OUT!

32

33 Big Baleage Lower initial cost than a conventional silage system Lower harvest losses than hay Easier to market than conventional silage Flexible harvest options

34 Key Factors Quality at time of harvest Baleage only preserves -- does not really enhance forage quality Suitability of forage for ensiling Harvest and preservation techniques Storage methods

35 Baleage vs. Dry Hay Baled silage Flexible harvest options Less field drying time Greater harvest window Less weather risk Lower losses Harvest & storage More uniform product No taxable structure Source: Dr. Kevin Shinners, University of Wisconsin, Bob Schultheis Baled hay More marketable Horses Lower trucking costs No fermentation Less equipment Less plastic disposal issues 35

36 Tube vs. Individual Wrapping Tubes Less plastic used Greater productivity Less labor Chopped silage Targeted feeding Marketable product Occupies less area Less aerobic loss at feedout Source: Dr. Kevin Shinners, University of Wisconsin,

37 Equipment Needed for Baleage Mower Rake Baler capable of baling wet forage Tractor of sufficient horsepower to carry bales safely Bale spear or grapple Bale wrapper 37

38 Making Good Baleage Wilt forage to 50 to 60% moisture upper end for grasses lower end for legumes Make bales as dense as possible Longer fiber slows fermentation Wrap as quickly as possible Within 5 hours of baling KEEP THE OXYGEN OUT!

39 Crude Protein - Alfalfa Baleage Crude Protein (%) Pre-Storage Post-Storage Moisture Content at Baling (%)

40 It s all about moisture content at harvest and how fast it is put in an anaerobic environment for fermentation to begin

41 Digestibility of Alfalfa Baleage Baleage IVDMD (%) Hay % 49% 43% 22% Moisture Content at Baling (%)

42 Red Clover Baleage Treatment CP NDF % RC baleage RC hay (60% moisture at baling)

43 Ryegrass Baleage Comparison to Hay Treatment CP % TDN % RFQ ADG lbs/hd/d Ryegrass Hay 14.7 b 62.4 c 133 b 1.26 b Ryegrass Baleage 16.3 a 65.9 a 174 a 1.94 a Bermuda Hay 16.1 a 62.9 b 116 c 1.56 b Replacement Heifers Gain No additional supplementation Ryegrass hay received a light rain shower on it Unpublished data, Calhoun, GA, 2009, Dennis Hancock P<0.10

44 Several Types of Wrappers are Available

45 Platform Wrappers Features Trailer or 3-point hitch Round or square bales Tractor hydraulics or gas engine Plastic $ $4.50 per bale for 4 layers Some have a loader arm; most can be loaded with a front-end loader

46 Platform Wrappers Concerns Plastic cost Labor per bale Most only accommodate 4-foot wide bales

47 Square Bale Platform Wrappers

48 Other Wrappers End-to-End Individual Wrap Concerns Labor Plastic on bottoms of bales

49 Baleage - Transport Avoid handling if possible If bales must be moved, use a grapple to avoid puncturing plastic

50 Features Bales end-to-end Less labor for wrapping Lower plastic cost (1/2 or less) In-Line Wrappers

51 In-Line Wrappers Concerns Uniformity of adjacent bales (both size and density) End of rows need to be sealed by hand A hole in the plastic can spoil a large area Feedout rate (need to feed two or three per day to keep ahead of spoilage)

52 Baleage - Wrapping Wrap with at least four layers of 1-mil plastic with 50% overlap. 8-mil total is ideal for long-term storage Use high-quality plastic

53 Alfalfa Silage & Hay Alfalfa silage & hay from the same field 2, 4, or 6 layers of stretch film - platform wrapper Hay 6 layers 2 layers 4 layers Storage Treatment Consumption 2 layers 53% 4 layers 84% 6 layers 88% Hay 64%

54 Baleage - Storage Store in a well-drained site Store bales where animals won't damage them Weeds encourage rodents Storing on the flat side prevents squatting Patch holes promptly

55 Crops to Wrap Legumes Alfalfa Red clover Soybean Cool Season Grasses Tall fescue Wheat / Triticale / Rye Annual Ryegrass Warm Season Grasses Forage sorghum Sudangrass Pearl millet Immature corn Legume-Grass mixes work best

56 Grasses vs. Legumes Grasses tend to ferment better than do legumes more water-soluble carbohydrates ph near 4 for all grass treatments Much more acid production than in alfalfa silage 7 6 Alfalfa ph 5 4 Grasses 3 2

57 When to Wrap Wrap as soon as possible after baling Definitely on the same day Start a little on the wet side Delayed wrapping prevented adequate fermentation as reflected in the higher ph value Suggestions: Hot, summer day 2 hrs Cool, fall day 8 hrs (Depends on weather and type of forage) Wrap right away = ph 4.5 Wrap after 20 hrs. = ph 6.2

58 Other Tips Do not use treated sisal twine. The treatment breaks down the plastic. Inoculants are a good option if the moisture isn t right speeds up lactic acid formation. Don t wrap in the rain Bales should be fed within one year of wrapping Wrapping area and storage areas should be close

59 Summary Cut at optimum maturity Bale between 50 and 60% moisture Make bales dense Use a minimum of four layers of plastic Wrap A.S.A.P. after baling Patch holes promptly

60 Questions? Robert A. (Bob) Schultheis Natural Resource Engineering Specialist Webster County Extension Center 800 S. Marshall St. Marshfield, MO Voice: Fax: Web: extension.missouri.edu/webster Program Complaint Information To file a program complaint you may contact any of the following: University of Missouri MU Extension AA/EEO Office 109 F. Whitten Hall, Columbia, MO MU Human Resources Office 130 Heinkel Bldg, Columbia, MO USDA Office of Civil Rights, Director Room 326-W, Whitten Building 14th and Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC The University of Missouri does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. 60