Big bale haylage

[Palindrome]

I have just switched from hay to round big bale haylage, it smells wonderful and is lovely dust free forage but I am struggling a bit to get it from the bale. Is there any trick to it? Do you remove the wrapper completely?
Also, is there any way to move the bale without a tractor? They seem heavier than the hay bales.

 

[TheMule]

Take the wrapper off totally and you un-peel it in rings- easier if it is upright rather than on its side but possible either way. Doubt you will move it without a lot of strong people, they're very heavy!

 

[PaulineW]

very heavy so you may need a few people to help you roll it. For removing the wrapping I used to run a knife around the base, about 10cms from the bottom. Then cut upwards to split the upper piece and slide it off. The bale wrap can then be cut and removed if you want it fully unwrapped.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Take care with cutting the wrap, try not to go all the way through to the netting. It is easier and safer to be able to unwrap the netting in one piece ensuring none of it gets left in the fodder.

I cut mine from the top into 4 quarters and then drop the wrap to the floor to catch any haylage falling off the bale as I use it. Then remove the netting in one piece, simply fill nets or barrow by going around the bale. Don' randomly pull at the bale as you will soon have a mushroom shape and be cursing !

 

[Palindrome]

Don' randomly pull at the bale as you will soon have a mushroom shape and be cursing !

ahah, yes

I have cut the netting but left most of the wrapper and now the bale has expanded within the wrapper... But I am taking in all the advice and the next bale will be perfectly unwrapped.

 

[AdorableAlice]

If the weather forecast is right and we have a few days of temperatures in the teens you really don't want to be opening big bale haylage unless you have enough horses to use it quickly.

 

[Starzaan]

If you leave the wrapper on the haylage will go mouldy. Always remove the wrapper completely. ?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

If you leave the wrapper on the haylage will go mouldy. Always remove the wrapper completely. ?

We cut the wrap near the bottom, lift the rest up and off the bale and use it as a 'lid' to keep the rain off the bale.

 

[patseyr]

Sound advice given ,
Make sure all small pieces of plastic and net are removed, sometimes some can be rolled up into the outer layer of silage and missed and horses love to chew on the net and if ingested can cause major problems!

As for unrolling , I usually put bale standing up (flat side) and take it off in layers ! Can keep bale fresher for longer , but as said earlier don’t want to have it hanging round for a week without using it up !

 

[Palindrome]

I have 3 horses, we will see how it fares but it is very dry so hoping it will last. I have fed haylage before but only the small bales.