3. Baled Silage Storage 4-10% loss Baling 2-5% loss Feeding Minimal loss Feeding Wilting 2-5% loss Fewer Losses Accumulate With Each Step End Result: 90% of Original DM Can be more efficient…

4. Quality Advantages Lowered risk of rain damage Less shatter loss Higher forage quality 1  Lower NDF, ADF, ADL  Higher CP  Increased digestibility  Increased palatability 1 Han, et al. 2005; Hancock and Collins, 2006.

5. Less dependent on weather Makes use of some forages that other-wise wouldn’t work. Silage & Haylage SILAGE - Forage that has undergone anaerobic fermentation

6. Details

7. Silage Fermentation Lactic acid bacteria Acetic acid bacteria Silage pH pH 6.0 pH 4.2 pH 3.8 1 2 3 4 7 14 20 28 Days after ensiling Acetic acid, like propionic acid in hay preservatives, is an antagonist to yeast/fungal growth. Plus, there is very little oxygen for the fungus to grow.

8. Silage pH pH Sorghum- sudan Alfalfa

9. Consider: Cost, Labor, Speed, Volume Bale Wrapper Selection

10. Baled Silage Costs Plastic Cost: $5.00 - $15.00/ton DM Wrapper cost: $2.00 - $5.00/ton DM Fuel & Repairs: $0.50 - $5.00/ton DM Labor: $0.75 - $2.00/ton DM Total: $12 - $25/ton DM

12. Wrapping System Determines Through-Put Cut mid-afternoon on one day, bale & wrap the next day. Amount cut = how much can be baled and wrapped the next day. Bales should be wrapped w/in 12 hrs of baling.

13. Optimize bale size  match to tractor  dense bales  4’x 5’ bale is most popular  900-1300 lbs, dep. on %M  square edges Use plastic twine or net  sisal twine degrades plastic Optimize bale size  match to tractor  dense bales  4’x 5’ bale is most popular  900-1300 lbs, dep. on %M  square edges Use plastic twine or net  sisal twine degrades plastic Make Good Bales

14. Wrap at the storage site  reduces handling  reduces risk of spoilage Choose an Appropriate Site for Wrapping

15. Bale at the Right Moisture 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 Toxic Potential (Clostridial, Listeriosis) 70% 40% Moisture

16. Apply enough plastic but no more. 6-10 layers (+ double on joints) 4-6 layers

17. Storage Treatment Consumption 2 layers53% 2 layers53% 4 layers 84% 4 layers 84% 6 layers 88% 6 layers 88% Hay44% Hay44% Alfalfa silage & hay 2, 4, or 6 layers of film 2 layers Hay 4 layers 6 layers

18. Baled Silage – An Option for Harvesting High Quality TreatmentCPTDNRFQADG %(lbs/hd/d) Bermuda Hay16.1 a62.9 b116 c1.56 b Ryegrass Baleage16.3 a65.9 a174 a1.94 a Ryegrass Hay14.7 b62.4 c133 b1.26 b LSD 0.10 0.220.353.20.341

19. Resources

20. Questions? www.georgiaforages.com 1-800-ASK-UGA1 www.georgiaforages.com 1-800-ASK-UGA1