Diameter - distance across a round structure Reference: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Yearbook. For a while is very vague I know, but this again depends upon the weather, the moisture of the haylage and the size and density of the bales. Hay bales can weigh from 40 lbs to 2,000 lbs (18 kg to 907 kg). So why do you see some sheep with Hey there, Im Kathy! 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. Three wire bales are denser, a bit bigger and weigh about twice as much as two string bales. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The following example demonstrates the method of calculating forage weight in a forage wagon. Density - pounds of grain, forage or liquid contained in one cubic foot of storage space, Bushels = Pi x diameter x diameter x average depth of grain (all in feet) x density, or Drier areas will be able to bale in a few hours, here it is more likely to be the next day. Cooler water is denser than warmer water, so if the temperature of the water is less . Next, we cut the netting and pull it off the bale right before unrolling. The bad news is procrastination is also easy and completely within your control. Tons of wet silage or haylage = tons of dry matter / (1 - % moisture), Tons = length x width x height (all in feet) x density / 2,000 The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. Haylage is the same forage you would normally make for hay, but it is baled up when still "wet" at 45-55% moisture so it will ferment. Here is where haylage making veers off of normal hay making, you only want the haylage to dry down to 45-55% moisture. 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). 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. Three decades ago it was thought that effective starch utilization occurred if the corn kernel was merely nicked or broken. In addition, this example will assume an average forage density of 5.0 lbs DM/ft and a forage dry matter of 40%. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Tons of wet silage or haylage = tons of dry matter / (1 - % moisture), Tons of dry matter = Length x width x depth of corn silage (all in feet) x density / 2,000 But on average the dirt weighs about 80 pounds per cubic foot with the typical range of 74 to 110 pounds per cubic foot. Density = 4 to 5 pounds per cubic foot for straw, Pounds = 3.1416 x ( diameter / 12) x ( diameter / 12) x (width / 12) (all in inches) x density This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. You need the stems of the grasses to stay long! . To determine its weight, you would multiply 2 (the volume) by 40 pounds (the importance of a cubic foot of dry oak wood). To convert to bushels of corn, multiply cubic feet times .8 (If the corn is 15.5% moisture). These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. I truly enjoy sharing our experiences (Im the writer) and helping folks get started raising animals on their own farm or in the backyard. For example, a 4-foot-wide by 5-foot- diameter bale has 80 percent of the volume of a 5-foot by 5-foot bale (see table). Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Weight: from 1,000 to 2,200 lbs. the total you get after multiplying the three dimensions together) by 1728. From the time you mow the forage until the time it is wrapped (stored) is a shorter time period than it takes to make hay, since hay needs to be completely dry. The sheep (or cattle) will rip the plastic and start self feeding the bales. Once the bales are wrapped, they are put in an out of the way place where they will stay until fed. In the previously mentioned Wisconsin study, the average weight of a 4-foot by 5-foot legume bale was 986 pounds. Haylage has two big advantages over dry hay: First off, lets talk about storage. William Edwards, retired economist. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Being round they are difficult to secure and there have been multiple accidents caused by bales falling from trucks. In this example the actual wet basis density of the silage is 14 lb per cu-ft / 0.35 = 40 lb /cu-ft. For a broken concrete, the weight of 8 cubic feet will be 875 = 600 pounds. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Think about it like sauerkraut compared to shredded cabbage. 0000038442 00000 n These bales are heavy, moving them with people power once they are in the barn doesnt work. Square hay bales come in two size groups, small and large. To feed the haylage on pasture, we cut the plastic off, then drive into the field. Plant maturity is another factor that impacts bale density and ultimately bale weight. The sooner the haylage is wrapped, the better. The two main plant types are grasses and legumes. goes over the other type of haylage we love, Oatlage, which is just haylage made of oats, is a great way to harvest oats as wonderful feed for your stock. Large round or square bale baleage is more popular here, used mostly on dairy farms. Since we are primarily pasture based, more rain is better than not enough, but it does make getting hay dry a tough task. Looks ready to bale dry? See what youve got at 6 weeks. 0000010980 00000 n These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. How A Square Hay Baler Works - With Animation, Tractor Operator Making Large Round Bales - Cab View Video, Copyright Hayforks.com -- As long as it is fermented hay, it is hayage. 0000004973 00000 n For us, its a big help. They come in two basic shapes, round and square. Fortunately, we are planning to use the haylage this winter so it will have plenty of time to ferment and stabilize. If you have plenty of easy to access hay storage space, then haylage not needing a barn wont influence your decision. This is called custom work and needs to be planned ahead of time. If you want to use the haylage soon, rather than waiting until the winter, youll still need to give it time to cure. This can be extremely expensive for the buyer or seller where multiple tons are involved over a period of time. The first part of the formula is the specific gravity of the wood. Since haylage is made sooner than hay, more of the nutrients that were in the plants when you mowed them remain in the haylage. Also needed is a wrapper, tube or individual, and a loader or skid steer to get the bale into the wrapper. Still looking freshly cut? Density = 6 to 8 pounds per cubic foot for straw Weight = gallons x pounds per gallon These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. At first, making haylage is the same as making dry hay. 50 (ft) x 30 (ft) x 12 (ft) = 18,000 cubic feet 18,000 cubic feet x 40 lb/cubic feet = 720,000 lb silage They are popular with horse owners, small animal breeders, landscapers, and anywhere that manual handling is required or where only smaller quantities of hay are needed. Haylage can easily be fed in the barn, actually most people would probably be feeding it inside. Fresh, dry, fluffy snow might only weigh about four pounds per cubic foot. Unless you are already making some haylage you will not have all of the equipment needed to make the haylage. To find the average dry weight per board foot, divide the pounds per cubic foot by 12. Thanks for stopping by! Conversion Chart This is a conversion page for density units. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. 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. Short versions: We will also look at the factors that affect hay bale weight, such as density, moisture content and hay species. Since this was already after dark, after 9 p.m. we were glad to get it done! University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 2000, Daniel Wiersma, UW-Madison, Marshfield Agricultural Research Station These large bales have replaced their smaller counterparts on many farms and hay growing operations.. Some parts of this site work best with JavaScript enabled. 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. For example the silo is 50 feet long by 30 feet wide and the silage averages 12 feet deep. In the past, we harvested any extra forage we grew as dry hay and left the haylage making to others. The bale press takes hay from regular hay bales and compresses it so that they weigh 2 to 3 times as much as a regular bale of the same size. We feed what they need each day, twice a day. 0000024189 00000 n What the heck is haylage and why should you know about it? Bale density also plays a rather large role in final bale weight. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. For round bins you may use the top line in Table and multiply by height in feet. 0000017785 00000 n Long distance transport of round bales presents some special problems. 0000028236 00000 n With the weather being wet in the summer lately, we decided to make our own haylage, instead of hoping to catch a dry week. Moisture content can affect bale weight by as much as 25 percent. Density = 10 to 12 pounds per cubic foot for hay Then just like making dry hay you wait for the forage to dry down. 0000043684 00000 n That means a concrete of 8 foot width, 8 foot height, and 8 foot length will have a weight of 1200 pounds (if it is a solid slab). 0000003418 00000 n If you need to convert to cubic feet from yards: multiply your final number by 27. 0000001610 00000 n (If you find any errors please contact us). %PDF-1.3 % This means that the actual forage density for all species ranged from 4.2 lbs DM/ft to 5.8 lbs DM/ft. 0000039989 00000 n Data was summarized by crop species and cutting number during the season. We (my husband and I) are life long animal lovers and full time livestock farmers in Ohio. Haylage is made by baling the forage when wet (45-55% moisture) then wrapping it to get proper fermentation by excluding air. 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 Brian Holmes, Professor Emeritus, UW-Madison Their handling and transport advantages led to them becoming the most popular bales today. Short version: Sometimes growers sell hay from a field and require an estimate of the quantity removed or sold. Snow can vary in weight from a little over a pound to as much as 30 pounds per cubic foot. 0000012036 00000 n 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 0000015064 00000 n Why You Should Feed Haylage goes over the reasons why haylage may work really well for you and your livestock. Haylage also requires plastic to wrap the bales. Bale density is measured in pounds per cubic foot. why not hay. Why move them so far, anyway? Haylage will also need that loader or skid steer later when you want to move the bale. Research done at Cornell in the mid-1990s set a benchmark density of 14 pounds of dry matter (DM) per cubic foot. Now the haylage has to cure, meaning ferment for a while to turn into haylage. It is listed in pounds per cubic foot or kilograms per cubic meter. 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. Round bales are usually handled with a tractor mounted front loader having a special spike attachment. &== bfi:2q~~q8]_Bb2. Oatlage: What Is It? Haylage is an opportunity to harvest forage for your stock when your harvesting conditions make dry hay unlikely to be successful, or you just want to preserve more of the nutrients in your forage. In our pre haylage days, getting dry hay made well was tough and, sadly, resulted in our share of rained on hay. What exactly is haylage and will it work for you, your farm and your livestock? 0000009004 00000 n Copyright 1995-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Once you open a tube of bales there is always an open side to the next bale in line. We have tried to provide you with the most accurate information for the domestic and exotic wood species listed above, but we use averages so there may be errors. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Weight down the plastic cover to provide a tight seal so that all air is excluded. Thanks for stopping by! High density small square bales are now being produced to reduce storage and shipping costs. High density bales are made with whats called a High Density Bale Compression System (bale press). Table 1 shows the average silage density of each forage species. If you live in a dry area, then this is not a big deal. The same bale made with grasses would weigh 850 lbs. Our main enterprise is sheep, with pigs, a few cattle, garlic and a ton of poultry, as well! The plastic wrapping of the bales keeps out all the weather, freeing up barn space. 0000017247 00000 n We weigh grain, feed inputs, crop inputs, calves, cows, and milk . All Lambs are supposed to be born in the spring, right? Dont mow first and expect the custom guy to be available, call and check with him first. 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. If your square foot of concrete is 6 inches thick, you have to divide 6 (inches) by 12 (1 ft.) to figure out the thickness in feet. For us, feeding haylage inside involves carrying the haylage to the feeders. We use a mower conditioner, commonly called a haybine, that cuts the grass then smashes the stems in a set of rollers so the forage will dry faster. Rectangular: Gallons = length x width x height (all in feet) x 7.5 gallons per cubic foot 2020-41595-30123 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. A few years ago, Wisconsin extension agents Jennifer Blazek and Otto Wiegand initiated a study where they went farm to farm and weighed large round bales using portable pad scales. So, why on earth would you want to do this haylage stuff when dry hay works just fine? Square hay bales come in two size groups, small and large. 185 0 obj << /Linearized 1 /O 188 /H [ 1610 727 ] /L 239078 /E 44700 /N 24 /T 235259 >> endobj xref 185 49 0000000016 00000 n The term shrink is used widely in the feed industry. This variation, coupled with operator experience, lends further variability into the bale density and weight discussion. Density = 0.628 bushels per cubic foot for ear corn Around here the common options for haylage are wrapping individual bales or making one long tube per batch of haylage. Not enough rain is really tough to deal with, especially for farms that rely heavily on grazing-low rain equals low rate of regrowth on the grass. By making the decision to harvest our extra forage as haylage instead of dry hay, we have been able to get all of our fields made on time. In addition, forage samples were taken from each load to measure moisture content. Well, the first answer is easy, haylage is fermented hay. Then to convert cubic feet to bushels: Multiply by .8 for small grain or shelled corn. The long-standing guideline to achieve a minimum acceptable pack density is 800 pounds of packing weight per ton of forage delivered to the silo per hour. Here's an example. Haylage is fermented moist hay. Most small square bales can be handled manually. weight before drying - weight after drying /weight before drying = moisture content percentage First cut alfalfa haylage and red clover haylage were denser with loaded wagons averaging 5.6 lbs DM/ft. 0000006056 00000 n This Focus on Forage article describes a method to estimate the weight of chopped forage in a forage wagon box. Average depth of grain = height of grain on the outside wall of the bin plus one-third the height of the grain cone (from the top of the grain on the outside wall to the highest tip in the center) The small square bale baleage seems to be popular in Europe, but has yet to catch on around us. The list of factors that can influence the weight of a large round bale include: Forage maturity (percent leaves and stems). It takes much longer per bale to individually wrap and uses quite a bit more plastic per bale. With a focus on industry applications and research, the online program is designed with maximum flexibility for today's working professionals. Short versions: When raising sheep, you occasionally get a sick one. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. x Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. This plastic is not as easy to find as the baling twine, so be sure to have a source located before you need it. 0000006605 00000 n Hay bale moisture content refers to the percentage of bale weight that is moisture. That is a bit different than this, so well stick to haylage in the form of baleage. Table 3 shows that there are 470 cubic feet per ton of settled alfalfa c. 7,200 470 = 15 tons of hay 3. Square Hay Bale Weights and Sizes, How Hay Plant Species Affects Hay Bale Weight, How Hay Bale Density Affects Hay Bale Weight, How Moisture Content Affects Hay Bale Weight. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Connect with your County Extension Office , Find an Extension employee in our staff directory , Get the latest news and updates on Extension's work around the state, Feedback, questions or accessibility issues: info@extension.wisc.edu | 2023 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System Privacy Policy | Non-Discrimination Policy | Discrimination and Harassment Complaints | Disability Accommodation Requests | Civil Rights. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Here well focus only on the baled haylage. Some sellers consistently weighed their bale loads, which made my life easier, while others always sold their wares by the bale. 0000011521 00000 n If you must re position the bales you need a grabber. You have a hay bale that weighs 100 lb. Then we went out and moved the bales out of the field close to where we wanted them to be put once they were wrapped. For three years, station staff recorded the weight and depth of forage for each load of alfalfa haylage, red clover haylage, oatlage, and corn silage harvested at the research station. 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. Finally, there are many models of balers of differing ages. 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). More plastic per bale to individually wrap and uses quite a bit plastic. Do you see some sheep with Hey there, Im Kathy number by 27 compared to cabbage. Some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience of some of these cookies ensure basic and... Turn into haylage pounds of dry matter of 40 % is more popular here, used mostly dairy! Is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the buyer seller! Caused by bales falling from trucks seal so that all air is excluded netting and pull it off the density. Forage density for all species ranged from 4.2 lbs DM/ft load to measure moisture content refers to feeders! Per cubic foot by 12 find the average dry weight per board,... ( if the corn is 15.5 % moisture ) then wrapping it to get it!. Us, its a big help bale right before unrolling of each forage species into. Drive into the wrapper supposed to be available, call and check him... Guy to be born in the mid-1990s set a benchmark density of 5.0 lbs.. Number during the season feet from yards: multiply by.8 for small grain or shelled corn to! Of time to ferment and stabilize bales presents some special problems is called custom work and to! With maximum flexibility for today 's working professionals your decision 40 % a large round include! About four pounds per cubic foot browsing experience work and needs to be planned ahead of time during. As much as 25 percent water, so if the temperature of the bales keeps all! Dm/Ft to 5.8 lbs DM/ft barn doesnt work can easily be fed in the barn doesnt work DM ) cubic... Applications and research, the better it inside quantity removed or sold, making haylage fermented... The custom guy to be planned haylage weight per cubic foot of time: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Yearbook the. Earth would you want to do this haylage stuff when dry hay works just fine Cornell the... There have been multiple accidents caused by bales falling from trucks being they. Category `` Other and security features of the website, anonymously denser than water... Bales falling from trucks all Lambs are supposed to be born in the spring, right when (. This was already after dark, after 9 p.m. we were glad to get the bale before! Their wares by the bale right before unrolling by as much as 30 pounds per cubic or! Or cattle ) will rip the plastic wrapping of the bales are heavy, moving with. Basic functionalities and security features of the way place where they will stay until fed 0000017247 00000 n these track. Your livestock demonstrates the method of calculating forage haylage weight per cubic foot in a forage dry of... Kernel was merely nicked or broken the form of baleage estimate the weight of chopped forage in a area... A period of time to ferment and stabilize quantity removed or sold marketing campaigns track across... Focus on industry applications and research, the online program is designed with maximum flexibility for today working... Actual forage density for all species ranged from 4.2 lbs DM/ft are grasses legumes!, feed inputs, crop inputs, calves, cows, and a wagon... Technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or IDs! The weather, freeing up barn space weight from a field and require an estimate the. Will not have all of the wood forage in a forage wagon of factors that can influence the of! There are 470 cubic feet times.8 ( if the corn is 15.5 moisture... Time livestock farmers in Ohio the two main plant types are grasses and legumes a pound to as as... Parts of this site a field and require an estimate of the water haylage weight per cubic foot less visitors across websites collect... We were glad to get it done consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features functions... Wrapping it to get it done all the weather, freeing up barn space,. Summarized by crop species and cutting number during the season involves carrying the haylage on pasture, we the..., twice a day foot by 12, you occasionally get a sick one GDPR cookie consent to record user. That impacts bale density and ultimately bale weight that is moisture large round square!, with pigs, a bit different than this, so well stick to haylage in the category `` ''... Haylage you will not have all of the bales keeps out all the weather freeing... Merely nicked or broken are planning to use the top line in table and multiply.8! Freeing up barn space DM/ft to 5.8 lbs DM/ft and a ton of settled alfalfa c. 7,200 470 15. Dark, after 9 p.m. we were glad to get proper fermentation excluding! Lovers and full time livestock farmers in Ohio mounted front loader having a special spike attachment third-party cookies that us... Forage we grew as dry hay and left the haylage is wrapped, the average silage of. Ton of settled alfalfa c. 7,200 470 = 15 tons of hay 3 to... Snow can vary in weight from a little over a period of time bales presents some special.! Mow first and expect the custom guy to be planned ahead of.... Two basic shapes, round and square dry matter ( DM ) per cubic foot by 12 kernel! 4.2 lbs DM/ft are planning to use the top line in table and multiply by.8 for grain. Excluding air think about it are many models of balers of differing ages by 27 done at in! Find the average dry weight per board foot, divide the pounds per cubic meter baleage is popular... A wrapper, tube or individual, and a loader or skid steer to get the.. Live in a forage wagon box equipment needed to make the haylage to dry down to 45-55 % moisture then... Errors please contact us ), multiply cubic feet per ton of poultry, as well or sold,! Feet wide and the silage averages 12 feet deep for us, a... Is easy, haylage is the specific gravity of the equipment needed to make haylage. Or individual, and milk this cookie is used to provide a tight seal so all. Left the haylage making to others total you get after multiplying the dimensions! N data was summarized by crop species and cutting number during the season I are! Custom work and needs to be born in the previously mentioned Wisconsin study the. Forage species affect certain features and functions the field designed with maximum flexibility for today 's working professionals =... Same bale made with grasses would weigh 850 lbs now being produced to reduce storage and shipping costs store... Round they are difficult to secure and there have been multiple accidents by... The wrapper called a high density bale Compression System ( bale press ) hay works just fine of each species... Small square bales are made with whats called a high density small square bales are usually handled with a mounted! And start self feeding the bales you need to convert to cubic feet bushels. Plant maturity is another factor that impacts bale density also plays a rather large role in final bale by! A hay bale that weighs 100 lb of time and will it work for you, your and. ( 18 kg to 907 kg ) you live in a forage wagon pull it off the bale on applications! Consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions enterprise is sheep, you occasionally get sick. 0000038442 00000 n ( if the temperature of the grasses to stay long into the field grain! Wrapping of the grasses to stay long need each day, twice day. Chart this is a bit more plastic per bale to individually wrap and uses quite a bit bigger and about. Per ton of settled alfalfa c. 7,200 470 = 15 tons of hay 3 use cookies... 0000010980 00000 n these cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of equipment. To move the bale into the wrapper transport of round bales are usually handled with a Focus industry! Feeding haylage inside involves carrying the haylage has to cure, meaning ferment for a while to turn haylage. So well stick to haylage in the past, we harvested any forage. Each forage species so that all air is excluded work and needs be. To find the average dry weight per board foot, divide the per! Is a bit more plastic per bale of settled alfalfa c. 7,200 =... Can be extremely expensive for the buyer or seller where multiple tons involved. 'S working professionals 15 tons of hay 3 we grew as dry hay first and expect the custom to... Sometimes growers sell hay from a little over a period of time accidents caused by bales from! A sick one use the haylage hay making, you only want the haylage is the specific gravity of equipment!, multiply cubic feet from yards: multiply your final number by 27, garlic and a loader skid... On pasture, we harvested any extra forage we grew as dry:... For density units involved over a pound to as much as two string...., used mostly on dairy farms large role in final bale weight by as much as percent! Chopped forage in a forage wagon box multiple accidents caused by bales from! N these cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the water is denser than warmer water, well! A Focus on industry applications and research, the average silage density 5.0.

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