Anyone make their own haylage?

[algeredge]

Hi, We are thinking of making our own haylage this year. Have 3 acres and was thinking of making the small haybale size ones instead of hay this year. We guess it would make about 150 - 200 bales
If anyone has made their own before do you have any tips for me?
How many rolls of wrap do you think it would take?
Thanks

 

[TJP]

Hi we grow our own. Our local friendly farmer cuts it and bales it for us and we pay him with the bales we don't need. He also does the ferilising We used to sell the extra but this way works better for us. If you can get in touch with someone similar he will give you a price.

 

[dotty1]

A local farmer cuts and bales my field for me. Its probably nearly 1.5 acres and this year I got 14 x 4ft large bales. Last year they were £10.50 each, probably a bit more this year. I find haylage less stressful as it doesn't have to be dry for so long and once they are wrapped they are 'safe'. I thin the small bales work out a bit more expensive overall. I have 2 horses and one bale lasts 7-10 days and doesn't go off.

 

[Haniki]

We make our own small bale haylage and some to sell too. It is quite surprising how many bales you get off quite a small acreage. It depends on the growing season but you will probably get about 100 bales per acre. The amount of wrap that you use depends on how many layers you put on your bales. I think we use about one roll of wrap for 40 bales. Your bales need to be quite 'dense' otherwise they don't stay on the wrapper!

 

[Britestar]

Neighbour makes mine for me, only big bales though. Only advise I have is, get it baled the day before they would bale it as hay. This way it will last longer.

I've had a bale open for a month now, and it has just dried to hay, and the horse still love it (on the rare occasion they get it). In the winter my big bales last 5 days before they are finished, and never go off.

 

[Haniki]

Yes, I agree with Britestar, we bale it a day before you would for hay. Also one roll of wrap does about 33 bales, not 40 as I said before!

 

[Maesfen]

Yes, I agree with Britestar, we bale it a day before you would for hay. Also one roll of wrap does about 33 bales, not 40 as I said before!

Snap but also make sure you don't scrimp on the wrapping as too little will mean what's inside won't keep as well, our chap puts about 10 layers on them and we've never had a problem at all but someone else local only covered some a couple of turns and the whole load had to be 'thrown away' to cattle as it was useless for horses.
BTW, it will cost a lot more to wrap small bales than those about 4ft or more asthere aren't many contractors that actually have small balers around here because of that, don't know what it's like where you are.