Making Quality Baleage - The Virginia Forage and Grassland ...Dry Matter Losses when Forage is...
Transcript of Making Quality Baleage - The Virginia Forage and Grassland ...Dry Matter Losses when Forage is...
Making Quality BaleageVirginia Winter Forage Conference
Dr. Dan UndersanderUniversity of Wisconsin
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
0
1
100 110 120 130 140 150 160
• Stocker cattle• Growing lambs & kids
• Beef cow & calf• Ewe with lamb• Doe with kid
• Ewe/doe, not lactating• Idle horse
Forage Quality Needs of Animals
• Nursing mare• Hard working horse
Relative Forage Quality
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Nutrient Requirements for Gain
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
1 1.5 2 2.5 3
LbTD
N/
day
Average Daily gain
500 lb Steer
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Reducing Beef Feeding Costs
High quality forage Improves animal performance
Reduces purchased supplement costs
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Nutrition concepts
Animals need more energy when cold over winter Cows with body score of 5 (6 for first calf heifers):
Produce more colostrum Give birth to more vigorous calves
Calves stand sooner Calves have greater ability to overcome early disease
challenges due to higher immunoglobulin levels
Have higher calf rate of gain.
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Dry Matter Losses when Forage is Harvested at Varying Moisture Contents
Storage LossHarvest Loss
DryHay
Treated/Wrapped Hay
Wrapped Bales
Wilted Silage
Direct Cut
Harvest wetter to minimize field/leaf loss
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Why make baleage?
Harvest with less weather delay
Harvest higher quality forage Less rain damage Less leaf loss above 20% moisture
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Harvesting High quality
Forage is at the highest quality when cut
Objective: to prevent yield and quality loss during harvesting
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Rate of Alfalfa Forage Quality Change per Day
Component Mean
Crude Protein, % DM -0.25
Acid Detergent Fiber, % DM 0.36
Neutral Detergent Fiber, % DM 0.43
Neutral Detergent Fiber Digestibility, % NDF -0.43
RFV, points -2.9
RFQ, points -3.6
Source: Undersander, 2009 unpublished
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Dry Matter Losses when Forage is Harvested at Varying Moisture Contents
Storage Loss
Harvest Loss
DryHay
Treated/Wrapped Hay
Wrapped Bales
Wilted Silage
Direct Cut
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Hay Preservation
Mold growth – molds grow at 20% to 35% moisture: Consume nutrients, sugars, starch Respiration causes heating →hay fires Produce mycotoxins
Detrimental to animal health May decrease feed intake
Produce spores if inhaled may cause lung disease
Presence reduces value of hay
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Heating can lead to fire
Heating can lead to spontaneous combustion and fires
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Heating can lead to fire
Sept 24, 2013 A load of hay on a semi caught fire on I-80 in Iowa
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Results of Malliard Reaction
-12
-10
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
Chan
ge, P
erce
ntag
e U
nits
Heating Degree Days > 86F
Dig NDF
Dig CP
Dig NFC
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Results of Malliard Reaction
TDN = dNFC + dCP+ 2.25*FA + dNDF - 7
-12
-10
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
Chan
ge, P
erce
ntag
e U
nits
Heating Degree Days > 86F
Dig NDF
Dig CP
Dig NFC
TDN
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Potential Health Hazards due to Fungal Spores and Mycelia
Actinomycetes
AbsidiaAlternariaAspergillis
fumigatus
CladosporiumMucorPenicilliumYeast
respiratory disease,delayed allergic reactionsmycotic abortionsimmediate allergic reactionmycotic abortion,respiratory disease,delayed allergic reactionsimmediate allergic reactiondigestive tract ulcerationdelayed allergic reactionmycotic mastitis
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Moisture for baling to prevent mold
Square Bale SizeSmall Medium (3’ x 3’) Large (4’ x 4’)<20% <16% <14%
Round Bale SizeSmall
(4’ w x 5’ h)Medium
(5’ w x 5’ h)Large
(5’ w x 6’ h)<17% <16% <15%
Amount of heating depends on heat transfer conditions.
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Allowable moisture without spoilage in hay
Depends on heat transfer conditions. Can bale without spoilage at higher moisture
content if: Cooler air temperatures (e.g. fall vs summer) Smaller bale – less self insulation Single bale vs stack – some growers let bales
“sweat” for a couple weeks then stack.
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Wrap in plastic
Can wrap bales at any moisture between 20 and 70%
Below 50% moisture - oxygen exclusion
Above 50% moisture – both oxygen exclusion and fermentation with acid production Less spoilage on feedout
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Fermentation and moisture content
10 30 50 70Moisture content (%)
Increasing fermentationButyric Acid Fermentation
Fermentation may be important on feedout but not for preservation of baleage
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Fermentation analysis profile normal ranges
Legume Silage
Grass Silage
Corn Silage
Moisture: 60-65% <65% 60-65% pH 4.0-4.3 4.3-4.7 3.8-4.2 Lactic Acid, (% of DM) 6-8 6-10 5-10 Acetic Acid, (% of DM) 1-3 1-3 1-3 Ethanol (% of DM) <1.0 <1.0 <3.0 Ammonia-N (% of CP) 10-15 8-12 <8.0
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Wrap in plastic
Can wrap bales at any moisture between 20 and 70%
Below 50% moisture - oxygen exclusion Above 50% moisture – both oxygen exclusion
and fermentation with acid production Less spoilage on feedout
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Fixed chamber vs Variable
Variable chamber Fixed chamber
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Silage baler vs Hay baler
Fixed chamber less dense center Fixed chamber can only make 1 size bale
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Value of Silage Baler A bale 5 ft wide by 4.5 ft tall Same density, same dry weight 850 lbs
Baleageat 60% moisture weighs 2125 lbs
Hay at 15% moisture weighs 1000 lbs
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Greater bale density results in lower baleage pH
Slower tractor speed results in denser bale
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Greater bale density results in longer bunk life
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Wrap in plastic
Preserves by excluding oxygenNeed at least 6 wraps
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
Tem
p (F
)
no wrap2 mils3 mils4 mils6 mils8 mils9 mils10 mils12 mils15 mils
Effect of Plastic Wrap Thickness on Internal Temperature of Bale over Time,
Lancaster, WI 1998 (30% moisture)
How to make baleage:Wrap with 6 layers of plastic
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
Tem
p (F
)
no wrap0 hours24 hours48 hours96 hours
Time from Baling to wrapping
Timing of Bale Wrapping effect on Internal Temperature of Bale over Time,
Lancaster, WI 1998 dry bales (36% moisture)
How to make baleage:Wrap Quickly after baling
Several types ofwrappers are available
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
In-Line Wrappers
Must have uniform adjacent bales Seal ends of rows Use 40% less plastic than individually wrapped Must feed sufficient forage to stay ahead of spoilage
when removed end bales (at least 3 bales/day).
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
In-Line vs individually wrapped
As a rule of thumb - individually wrapped bales is most
appropriate for less than ~50 head of cattle
above 50 to 75 head, consider in-line wrapping to reduce plastic use.
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Avoid UV Degradation of Plastic
• Avoid oiled sisal twine• Use plastic, untreated sisal, netwrap• Buy good plastic
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Mold
Mold only grows with oxygen
White mold on bale exterior means either:
1. Poor Plastic2. Too few layers of plastic
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
A few additional thoughts
Best to have a windrow as wide as baler pickup for making uniform diameter bales.
Bale when forage is slightly tough to minimize leaf loss.
Seal tears in plastic
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Choose storage site carefully
What will site look like after rain
Don’t place under tree
Clear 100 feet around bales if rodents a problem
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Summary
Cut forage for high yield and needed quality Bale to minimize heating Wrap within 24 hours after baling Wrap with at least 6 layers of plastic
Dan Undersander-Agronomy © 2019
Minimize dirt and other debris