For clarity's sake, let's go through a quick example. 0000002795 00000 n You have a hay bale that weighs 100 lb. document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) All rights reserved. Topics covered in this hay bale weight guide: A 4x4 round bale of legumes like alfalfa weighs about 600 lbs (272 kg). Density = 5.4 + (0.28 x depth of haylage) (in feet) = tons of dry matter per cubic foot for haylage (density increases with the depth of the haylage) Forage species also affects bale weight. Volume of hay in round stacks The rules or formulas used for oblong stacks do not apply to round stacks. Reference: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Yearbook. Ready to bale fields of hay sitting soaking wet for weeks (last year, and the year before) was a normal sight in our area. It is a bit different than this haylage in appearance and our reasons for making it. For cows to digest the starch in corn efficiently, the corn kernels in chopped and processed whole-plant corn must be broken into small particles. Diameter - distance across a round structure The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Haylage can be fed in the same way as dry hay. We also make Oatlage, which is a type of haylage made out of, you guessed it-oats. 0000012306 00000 n Since it refers to the weight before and after a process, the moisture content and moisture content change can significantly affect the result. The weight changes, however, when the temperature does. But there are variables, and they make a big difference. I like dry hay and actually prefer feeding dry hay to some of our animals. The forage used for haylage is cut the same as it would be for will for dry hay, the difference is in the timing of baleing. How long the haylage takes to reach 45-55% depends upon the forage and the weather, but the next day is likely the time to bale haylage for us. 0000041051 00000 n They have some distinct advantages over small square bales and round bales, are ideal for shipping and are easy to stack in storage areas., The ability to be handled by forklifts and front end loaders is another key feature. Stabilized hay: 8% to 9% moisture by weight. This is because the temperature affects the water's density, and the density affects the weight. We all know that the sooner you notice a health problem in your stock, the sooner you can start treatment and get her back into top shape. Those percentages also translate to differences in weight if all other factors are equal. The bales must be stored away from the eaters. The two main plant types are grasses and legumes. Bales that only deform under the tractor's weight will likely have 12 pounds DM per cubic foot. Now the haylage has to cure, meaning ferment for a while to turn into haylage. To feed the haylage on pasture, we cut the plastic off, then drive into the field. Density = 10 to 14 pounds per cubic foot for hay 0000004973 00000 n Multiply by .4 if ear corn. They are often preferred when the bale is going to be shipped long distances, since their density lowers shipping costs and makes it easier to build a secure load. Although heavier than two string bales, they can be handled by one or two people without special equipment. Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy. High density small square bales are now being produced to reduce storage and shipping costs. A 4 ft wide x 5 ft high round legume hay bale may weigh 1,000 lbs. Size: 18 wide x 14 high x 36 long. Fresh baled hay is usually around 18% to 20%. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Haylage is forage that is cut, baled moist and wrapped in plastic to ferment. You need the stems of the grasses to stay long! Square hay bales come in two major size groups, small and large. 0000006605 00000 n Making Sure Your Kernel Processor Is Doing Its Job Baleage vs. Haylage by Brad Schick, Nebraska Extension Educator explains more of the differences in terminology if youd like to dig a little deeper. 0000015041 00000 n Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sixty to 65 percent dry matter, with 35 to 40 percent moisture (for the harvested material), is best. In a 5-foot by 5-foot bale, the difference between 10 and 11 pounds of dry matter per square foot amounts to over 100 pounds per bale at both the 10 and 15 percent moisture levels. 0000011599 00000 n We have started making our own haylage and are glad we gave it a try! Table 1 shows the average silage density of each forage species. 0000010957 00000 n In addition, forage samples were taken from each load to measure moisture content. Estimating the Weight of Forage in a Forage Wagon. Density = 6 to 8 pounds per cubic foot for hay Short versions: You are looking for somewhere in the really wilted range. My husband called around and got two guys who actually dont normally do custom work to come with a tube wrapper. Care should be used when interpreting the results of a shrink calculation. Baleage means that it is fermented hay specifically in bale form, this is the type that we do for our sheep. Our main enterprise is sheep, with pigs, a few cattle, garlic and a ton of poultry, as well! I truly enjoy sharing our experiences (Im the writer) and helping folks get started raising animals on their own farm or in the backyard. In vertical silos, bulk density is close to 20 pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft 3) at the top and 60 lb/ft 3 or more near the base. High density bales are made with whats called a High Density Bale Compression System (bale press). All rights reserved. There are two standard guides for determining the weight and volume of corn silage. It can be in a bunk silo, a bag or bale form. Bale density is measured in pounds per cubic foot. Well, the first answer is easy, haylage is fermented hay. These bales are super heavy and do not roll, so a loader of some sort is required to get the haylage to your animals when you want to feed it. You cut the hay field at the highest nutrition growth stage for your stock, usually this is right before blooming or sending up a seed head. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. In the previously mentioned Wisconsin study, the average weight of a 4-foot by 5-foot legume bale was 986 pounds. Forage Species Bushels = 0.628 x diameter x diameter x average depth of grain (all in feet) for shelled corn or soybeans DM per cubic foot Silage Storage Safely minimize shrink and preserve quality in storing silage. The first tractor is on the baler and the second is either running the wrapper or tipping the bales up onto the flat side to sit. Researchers at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station conducted a study to estimate the weight of loaded forage boxes. Measuring alfalfa or corn silage yield is necessary to adjust management practices, to maintain crop inventories, and for crop reporting purposes. (zSA These numbers will vary slightly depending on the moisture content and length of cut at harvest. With todays high-producing animals, we know kernels must be processed into smaller particles for dairy, Shrink is a Deceptive Term While this calculation is better than a guess, it does not provide the accuracy required for sale of forage or yield checks. Weight: from 1,000 to 2,200 lbs. Haylage is normally stored outside in rows or stacks, no barn is needed. Just as a reminder, it goes as follows: ` weight = volume density. Small square bales have been around the longest, over 100 years. Then just like making dry hay you wait for the forage to dry down. Now the naturally occurring bacteria that like to grow in anaerobic conditions start to grow. Snow can vary in weight from a little over a pound to as much as 30 pounds per cubic foot. Definitions Large square hay bales and round hay bales require bale handling equipment such as a tractor with a bale lift. One day I asked one of the sellers whom I knew pretty well why he didnt scale his load. 0000028236 00000 n 2 Bushels = 0.4787 x diameter x diameter x average depth of grain (all in feet) x (1 - % moisture) for ground ear corn The pounds of silage in the silo is calculated by multiplying: Length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (ft) x density (lb/cu-ft) at the final moisture content. Most small square bales can be handled manually. Leaves generally pack better than stems, so as plants mature and develop a higher percentage of stems to leaves, bales generally become less dense and weigh less. Large Round Bales Pounds = 3.1416 x ( diameter / 12) x ( diameter / 12) x (width / 12) (all in inches) x density Density = 10 to 12 pounds per cubic foot for hay Density = 5 to 7 pounds per cubic foot for straw 0000038442 00000 n 0000001610 00000 n If you need to convert to cubic feet from meters/metres: multiply your final number by 35.31. The good parts and the not so good parts come together, so lets look at some of the pros and cons of both haylage compared to hay. We will also look at the factors that affect hay bale weight, such as density, moisture content and hay species. Averaged over all species and cuttings, the density of forage in a wagon was 5.0 pounds of dry forage per cubic foot (lbs DM/ft). Dont leave the unrolled section of the haylage with the sheep or cattle. Are you looking for volume to weight conversion like milligrams to milliliters, kilograms to liters, or grams to milliliters? Haylage is made by baling the forage when wet (45-55% moisture) then wrapping it to get proper fermentation by excluding air. . This variation, coupled with operator experience, lends further variability into the bale density and weight discussion. Yikes, high stress and low quality results! This plastic is not as easy to find as the baling twine, so be sure to have a source located before you need it. High density small square bales are now being produced to reduce storage and shipping costs. 9ft Single Slab Black Epoxy River Dining Table GTA. Please check Cooking Ingredience Conversion and Weight to Volume Conversion. No. That is also called haylage since there is no grain in it and it is made from a hay type forage. The hay was baled in a round baler, some farms use a big square baler, and left in the field. For example the silo is 50 feet long by 30 feet wide and the silage averages 12 feet deep. 0000023888 00000 n Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Compare that to dry hay, which is 18-22% moisture (University of Missouri). Making haylage starts out like making any other normal hay, you cut the forage with a mower to get the long stems to start to dry. The pounds of silage in the silo is calculated by multiplying: Length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (ft) x density (lb/cu-ft) at the final moisture content. Short versions: Around here the common options for haylage are wrapping individual bales or making one long tube per batch of haylage. pounds of dry forage per cubic foot (lbs DM/ft 3). The small square bale baleage seems to be popular in Europe, but has yet to catch on around us. Frequently it would be useful to know the weight of forage harvested from a field. Hay bales can weigh from 40 lbs to 2,000 lbs (18 kg to 907 kg). Short version: 0000021977 00000 n Then to convert cubic feet to bushels: Multiply by .8 for small grain or shelled corn. Plant maturity is another factor that impacts bale density and ultimately bale weight. The forage used for haylage is cut the same as it would be for will for dry hay, the difference is in the timing of baleing. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Bushels = 0.314 x diameter x diameter x average depth of grain (all in feet) for ear corn, Bushels = width x length x average depth of grain (all in feet) x density (same values as previous), Bushels = Pi x diameter x diameter x depth of grain (all in feet) x density x (1 - % moisture) / .845, for number 2 shelled corn or ground ear corn Haylage is a fermented forage that is fed to animals like hay. Unrolling works well on frozen ground and okay on soft ground. trailer << /Size 234 /Info 169 0 R /Encrypt 187 0 R /Root 186 0 R /Prev 235248 /ID[<03c3f8c75692ed62b9f40aeef95d39f5>] >> startxref 0 %%EOF 186 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 172 0 R /Metadata 170 0 R /JT 184 0 R /PageLabels 168 0 R >> endobj 187 0 obj << /Filter /Standard /R 2 /O ( UV.`Dz-#_m_}g) /U (]pek+YTCYm{`N) /P -4 /V 1 /Length 40 >> endobj 232 0 obj << /S 607 /T 728 /L 800 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 233 0 R >> stream That will seem very wet if you are used to dry hay. First, if youre purchasing bales out of field, they are likely going to be at a higher moisture level and weight than they will be after being cured in storage. Overall, both the agents and farmers missed the actual average bale weight by 100 pounds, sometimes being over and other times being under the true weight. Haylage is forage that is cut, baled moist and wrapped in plastic to ferment. Typical hay bale density is 9 to 12 lbs per cubic foot. For round bins you may use the top line in Table and multiply by height in feet. Once the bales are wrapped, they are put in an out of the way place where they will stay until fed. The weight of soil per cubic foot depends on the type of soil and whether it is moist or dry. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Density = 0.8 bushels per cubic foot for corn or soybeans This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. If something went wrong in the fermentation process, like the plastic was torn and introduced air, then the haylage will be unsuitable as feed. Tons of wet silage or haylage = tons of dry matter / (1 - % moisture) Pounds = 0.0004545 x diameter x diameter x width (all in inches) x density, Pounds = (length / 12) x (width / 12) x (height / 12) (all in inches) x density Three decades ago it was thought that effective starch utilization occurred if the corn kernel was merely nicked or broken. Why move them so far, anyway? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". When raising sheep, you occasionally get a sick one. Short distance transport is done with special wagons and trailers. Their handling and transport advantages led to them becoming the most popular bales today. Cubic Weight Definition. Brian Holmes, Professor Emeritus, UW-Madison The bad news is procrastination is also easy and completely within your control. x University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 2000, Daniel Wiersma, UW-Madison, Marshfield Agricultural Research Station Tons of dry matter = 0.000393 x diameter x diameter x average depth of silage (all in feet) x (5.90 + (0.1 x depth)) for haylage Please note: it may seem like a good idea to store the wrapped bales in the pasture. Let's say we have 15 cubic meters of Portland concrete. Density = 5 to 7 pounds per cubic foot for straw Oatlage: What Is It? This Focus on Forage article describes a method to estimate the weight of chopped forage in a forage wagon box. We called a local guy who advertised online that he did custom baling and wrapping, be sure to call before you need it! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. When purchasing baleage, it is always recommended to either weigh the bales or have a rock-solid moisture test. Most hay bales stabilize at about 8% to 9% moisture content. If your baler is older, check into its capabilities. This way the lambs can spend the summer outside with their moms, eating grass and enjoying the sunshine. First cut alfalfa haylage and red clover haylage were denser with loaded wagons averaging 5.6 lbs DM/ft3. However, before determining the actual weights, the agents and the bale owner/producer took a crack at estimating the average bale weight (three bales were weighed at each farm). We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Weight = 6.15 pounds per gallon for gasoline. Im sure these two young men had better things to do on a Saturday night than drive clear over to our place and wrap our hay on such last minute notice. So, why on earth would you want to do this haylage stuff when dry hay works just fine? 0000043584 00000 n Either way, youll end up with a white wrapped line of bales in your field, like the ones at the beginning of this article. Cut the netting immediately before unrolling the bale. Conversion is easy: Need help? This is a big deal for us, we dont have a lot of barn space that is hay friendly and tractor accessible, meaning any hay that we put inside must be able to be moved by hand. Then we would do the baling in the afternoon of the third day. 6 / 12 = .5 feet. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 115 lb/ft. Its fairly intuitive that size of the bale will impact bale weight, but what may be overlooked is the degree of change that occurs when a bale is only 1 foot wider or 1 foot more in diameter. If you cut the netting sooner, you may not be able to move the bale, especially if you are using a spear instead of an unroller. Crib capacities in bushels for ear corn per foot of length: Width Height in Feet In feet 8' 10' 12' 14' 16' If loads are always filled to a uniform height in the forage box, an average height measurement can be used. A 5x5 bale weighs 1,200 lbs (540 kg) and a 5x6 bale weighs 1,500 lbs (680 kg). What exactly is haylage and will it work for you, your farm and your livestock? Given the choice, I prefer a wet year to a dry one. For the eastern half of the U.S., harvesting high quality hay is a challenge. 0000021954 00000 n Some dryland corn producers this year turned to silage production to get the most value from their low-yield crop. This means it needs to be high quality and harvested on time, both of which have been challenging lately with dry hay for our area. They both started out the same but the results are significantly different as far as taste, thanks to the fermentation process. Please use the following information as a guide. Both have advantages and ideal use situations. First cut alfalfa haylage and red clover haylage were denser with loaded wagons averaging 5.6 lbsDM/ft. . This is a big advantage for shipping and storage. Next, we cut the netting and pull it off the bale right before unrolling. 0000005611 00000 n If better accuracy is needed one should use a drive-over scale and weigh each load as they come in. The wet bale is wrapped in plastic. You missed your window. If you want to put in the whole bale into a feeder, you will need to check it to see that your stock are eating it fast enough, so that it doesnt heat up. The other possible weight that a freight company may use to calculate shipping costs is called cubic weight, and that is based on cubic feet/meters. A 4x5 bale weighs 950 lbs (430 kg). I truly enjoy sharing our experiences (Im the writer) and helping folks get started raising animals on their own farm or in the backyard. 0000009004 00000 n Horizontal silos, bag silos, and stacks require mechanical compaction to achieve adequate . Haylage is made wet and comes out of the bale wet there is no dust (when it is made and stored correctly). Haylage is made by baling the forage when wet (45-55% moisture) then wrapping it to get proper fermentation by excluding air. Next step is the wrapping, in either a tube, all wrapped together like a big sausage, or individually wrapped, so the bales look like marshmallows. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. However, this level of density was set as a minimum. Density = 5.90 + (0.1 x depth of haylage) (in feet) = tons of dry matter per cubic foot for haylage (density increases with the depth of the haylage) Privacy Policy. Density = 10 to 12 pounds per cubic foot for corn stover In short, haylage is not always in bale form, baleage is always in bale form. Measurements should be taken on each chopper box to determine the width and length. The standard deviation of forage density in this study was 0.8 lbs. Table 3 shows that there are 470 cubic feet per ton of settled alfalfa c. 7,200 470 = 15 tons of hay 3. We (my husband and I) are life long animal lovers and full time livestock farmers in Ohio. As with all estimation methods, there is a small amount of error inherent in this calculation method. Haylage is faster to make from start to finish. Rectangular: Gallons = length x width x height (all in feet) x 7.5 gallons per cubic foot When you decide it is time to bale, be sure you are using a baler that can handle the extra weight of the wetter forages. It takes much longer per bale to individually wrap and uses quite a bit more plastic per bale. Mono-Slope Beef Barn Air Quality Research Project. Lets look into it. The plastic cuts off the air, leaving the baled forage in an anaerobic (no air) environment. Alfalfa bales are about 15% heavier than the same size bale of timothy. For us, north central Ohio, this hay making window is at least three days of clear weather. Density = 8.0 + (0.15 x depth of silage) (in feet) = tons of dry matter per cubic foot for corn silage (density increases with the depth of the silage)

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