haylage weight per cubic foot

0000043684 00000 n Typical hay bale density is 9 to 12 lbs per cubic foot. Tons of dry matter = Pi x diameter x diameter x depth of (all in feet) x density / 2,000, for corn silage or haylage Table 1. Let's look into it. Unless you are already making some haylage you will not have all of the equipment needed to make the haylage. Disadvantages of silage . Density = 6 to 8 pounds per cubic foot for hay Density = 9 to11 pounds per cubic foot for corn stover If for no other reason than its so much easier to get made on time than dry hay! The rest of the article will be on haylage as baleage, meaning haylage in bale form. These bales are heavy, moving them with people power once they are in the barn doesnt work. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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 Forage Species 0000005611 00000 n The bale is already wrapped it can be stored anywhere that is convenient for you to get to later, it does not need to be in a barn! We weigh grain, feed inputs, crop inputs, calves, cows, and milk . 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. 0000002795 00000 n 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. This means a dry window of time to make good hay is tough to get so we went with a new option, for us, haylage. For clarity's sake, let's go through a quick example. A newer baler should be able to work for you without worry. I truly enjoy sharing our experiences (Im the writer) and helping folks get started raising animals on their own farm or in the backyard. Forage species also affects bale weight. The individual wrapper is handy for farms not using the bales very quickly. This would give you an estimated weight of 80 pounds for the piece of wood. In addition, this example will assume an average forage density of 5.0 lbs DM/ft and a forage dry matter of 40%. Next, we cut the netting and pull it off the bale right before unrolling. Formula: Hay bales can weigh from 40 lbs to 2,000 lbs (18 kg to 907 kg). Don Hofstrand, retired extension value added agriculture specialist, agdm@iastate.edu, Department of Economics Rectangular: Gallons = length x width x height (all in feet) x 7.5 gallons per cubic foot Short version: For many years, I helped coordinate a monthly quality-tested hay auction where sellers had the option of selling by the bale or by weight from a certified scale. It looks like nothing was found at this location. Unrolling works well on frozen ground and okay on soft ground. Often, not even close enough for government work. 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 link to How Do You Know If A Sheep Is Sick? 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 Stabilized hay: 8% to 9% moisture by weight. We called a local guy who advertised online that he did custom baling and wrapping, be sure to call before you need it! trailer << /Size 234 /Info 169 0 R /Encrypt 187 0 R /Root 186 0 R /Prev 235248 /ID[<03c3f8c75692ed62b9f40aeef95d39f5>] >> startxref 0 %%EOF 186 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 172 0 R /Metadata 170 0 R /JT 184 0 R /PageLabels 168 0 R >> endobj 187 0 obj << /Filter /Standard /R 2 /O ( UV.`Dz-#_m_}g) /U (]pek+YTCYm{`N) /P -4 /V 1 /Length 40 >> endobj 232 0 obj << /S 607 /T 728 /L 800 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 233 0 R >> stream (20 lbs / 100 lbs) = 20%. Snow that has been sitting for a few days under normal conditions will usually weigh around 15 pounds per cubic foot. The dry or loose dirt will weigh around 76 lbs per cubic foot while moist loose dirt will have more weight averaging 78 lbs per . lb/ft - Pound Per Cubic Foot. 0000024189 00000 n Haylage is a 40-60% moisture content hay that is preserved by fermentation. In the past, we harvested any extra forage we grew as dry hay and left the haylage making to others. As with most things, each choice is a package deal. We feed what they need each day, twice a day. 0000043584 00000 n Most small square bales can be handled manually. However, a 5-foot-wide by 4-foot-diameter bale has only 64 percent of the volume of a 5-foot by 5-foot bale. Its fairly intuitive that size of the bale will impact bale weight, but what may be overlooked is the degree of change that occurs when a bale is only 1 foot wider or 1 foot more in diameter. These numbers will vary slightly depending on the moisture content and length of cut at harvest. High density small square bales are now being produced to reduce storage and shipping costs. Stabilized hay: 8% to 9% moisture by weight. Haylage is a fermented forage that is fed to animals like hay. We count on any hay or haylage we harvest to make a big dent in the amount of purchased forage we need for the winter. Fresh baled hay: 18% to 20% moisture by weight. The term shrink is used widely in the feed industry. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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). Grass forages were less dense and averaged 4.6 lbs DM/ft. The weight changes, however, when the temperature does. 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. To make good-quality earlage, follow these guidelines: Make sure the crop's moisture content is correct before chopping. It needs to dry out more. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Haylage is baled at 40-60% moisture, it is essentially a wet bale of wilted forage. Our summer forage harvesting went well this year, in a season when other farmers in our area that were making dry hay had little to no success. Haylage is made by baling the forage when wet (45-55% moisture) then wrapping it to get proper fermentation by excluding air. We put the bale in the end of the barn with the tractor, then cut the plastic and remove the netting while inside. To be upfront with you, haylage is not golden. Then just like making dry hay you wait for the forage to dry down. Any leftover bale is taken back out of the field. 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. Size:: 18 x 14 x 36 -- weight: 120 to 180 lbs. In this study, the average density was measured as 5.0 lbs DM/ft. The average dry weight of each species is calculated at 8% moisture content. 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. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. 0000017785 00000 n How Moisture Content Affects Hay Bale Weight Fresh baled hay: 18% to 20% moisture by weight. 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. . 0000011291 00000 n 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. Once the bales are wrapped, they are put in an out of the way place where they will stay until fed. For us, its a big help. Then we would do the baling in the afternoon of the third day. If something went wrong in the fermentation process, like the plastic was torn and introduced air, then the haylage will be unsuitable as feed. A 5x5 bale weighs 1,200 lbs (540 kg) and a 5x6 bale weighs 1,500 lbs (680 kg). the total you get after multiplying the three dimensions together) by 1728. Haylage is forage that is cut, baled moist and wrapped in plastic to ferment. It is important to determine the fill height for each load so that the correct volume is computed. Three decades ago it was thought that effective starch utilization occurred if the corn kernel was merely nicked or broken. This is one of those good idea, bad result things. 0000021977 00000 n link to Why Do Farmers Have Lambs In The Winter. 0000002337 00000 n Are you looking for volume to weight conversion like milligrams to milliliters, kilograms to liters, or grams to milliliters? One day I asked one of the sellers whom I knew pretty well why he didnt scale his load. A 4x5 bale weighs 950 lbs (430 kg). ] VMkd?h5u#]XLT. Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It often ranges from 9 to 12 pounds per cubic foot. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, large rounds are often sold by the bale based on the buyer or sellers estimate of weight. 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. Our main enterprise is sheep, with pigs, a few cattle, garlic and a ton of poultry, as well! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. All Lambs are supposed to be born in the spring, right? Iowa State University document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) All rights reserved. Wed love to hear from you if you have any questions! The ability to be handled by forklifts and front end loaders is another key feature. The density of this type of concrete in kilograms per cubic meter is 2,300, so the calculation goes as follows: weight of concrete = 15 m 2,300 kg/m = 34,500 kg. Many people use the words haylage and baleage interchangeably. Choose High Quality Hay gives you tips on how to spot good hay that is worth your money. 0000015041 00000 n Small square bales have been around the longest, over 100 years. Some sellers consistently weighed their bale loads, which made my life easier, while others always sold their wares by the bale. Most dairy farmers do not have a drive-over scale available on their farms. We did some of each and liked the tube wrapper the best for speed, its a ton faster and uses less plastic per bale wrapped. The two main plant types are grasses and legumes. We (my husband and I) are life long animal lovers and full time livestock farmers in Ohio. Haylage will also need that loader or skid steer later when you want to move the bale. Please use the following information as a guide. 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. Weight down the plastic cover to provide a tight seal so that all air is excluded. 0000012306 00000 n Then the operator can quickly view the forage level and write it down for future calculation. . That will seem very wet if you are used to dry hay. Grass bales, like timothy, weigh 20% less than alfalfa bales. Tons of dry matter = 0.000393 x diameter x diameter x average depth of silage (all in feet) x (8.0 + (0.15 x depth)) for corn silage The sooner the haylage is wrapped, the better. For a broken concrete, the weight of 8 cubic feet will be 875 = 600 pounds. DM per cubic foot 2 Capacity based on 13 lbs. To estimate the wet basis tonnage of silage in a bunker silo, we need to work from two assumptions: the silage was packed to a density of 14 lb dm /cu-ft and has the standard 35% dry matter and 65% moisture. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. See what youve got at 6 weeks. This compared to 846 pounds for grass bales of the same size. Haylage will have a higher protein value than dry hay. How good are these estimates? Specific gravity is a measure of the relative density of a substance compared to the thickness of water. Diameter - distance across a round structure The bales must be stored away from the eaters. Short versions: The weight of the tractor is the issue here, not the unroller. Tons of dry matter = 0.000393 x diameter x diameter x average depth of silage (all in feet) x (5.90 + (0.1 x depth)) for haylage Wood Species Weight by Cubic Foot Calculations Average Dry Weight Kg Per Cubic Meter of Wood Species The average dry weight of each species is calculated at 8% moisture content. 6 / 12 = .5 feet. Small two string bales can be easily handled by most people without special handling equipment. If you want to use the haylage soon, rather than waiting until the winter, youll still need to give it time to cure. Small square bales have been around the longest, over 100 years. When purchasing baleage, it is always recommended to either weigh the bales or have a rock-solid moisture test. 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. Density = 6 to 8 pounds per cubic foot for hay Density = 4 to 5 pounds per cubic foot for straw 6. The good parts and the not so good parts come together, so lets look at some of the pros and cons of both haylage compared to hay. Here is where haylage making veers off of normal hay making, you only want the haylage to dry down to 45-55% moisture. This way the lambs can spend the summer outside with their moms, eating grass and enjoying the sunshine. Density = 0.8 bushels per cubic foot for corn or soybeans It is listed in pounds per cubic foot or kilograms per cubic meter. This is because legumes such as alfalfa will make a denser bale than a grass species. This plastic is not as easy to find as the baling twine, so be sure to have a source located before you need it. Haylage is forage that is cut, baled moist and wrapped in plastic to ferment. Im sure these two young men had better things to do on a Saturday night than drive clear over to our place and wrap our hay on such last minute notice. of Science and Technology Horizontal silos, bag silos, and stacks require mechanical compaction to achieve adequate . The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". 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 is a great alternative to dry hay for both large and small livestock farmers. The pounds of silage in the silo is calculated by multiplying: Length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (ft) x density (lb/cu-ft) at the final moisture content. Ames, IA 50011-1054. They are often preferred when the bale is going to be shipped long distances, since their density lowers shipping costs and makes it easier to build a secure load. Although heavier than two string bales, they can be handled by one or two people without special equipment. Since we are primarily pasture based, more rain is better than not enough, but it does make getting hay dry a tough task. Both have advantages and ideal use situations. You know, from the information above, a cubic foot of concrete weighs 150 pounds. Short versions: 7,200 cubic feet b. You put it in a drying oven to remove all the moisture. Fresh baled hay is usually around 18% to 20%. Grass bales generally will weigh less than legume-based bales of similar size. Measurements should be taken on each chopper box to determine the width and length. In the previously mentioned Wisconsin study, the average weight of a 4-foot by 5-foot legume bale was 986 pounds. Given the number of variables that determine the actual bale weight, buying and selling large round bales based on a weight guess is likely going to result in a transaction that is either above or below market value. 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. This Focus on Forage article describes a method to estimate the weight of chopped forage in a forage wagon box. 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. 0000039989 00000 n dwiersma@facstaff.wisc.edu. Oatlage: What Is It? For example the silo is 50 feet long by 30 feet wide and the silage averages 12 feet deep. 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 What exactly is haylage and will it work for you, your farm and your livestock? The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Round bales, also called rolls of hay, started showing up in fields about 40 years ago. I truly enjoy sharing our experiences (Im the writer) and helping folks get started raising animals on their own farm or in the backyard. University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, 2000, Daniel Wiersma, UW-Madison, Marshfield Agricultural Research Station The formula for calculating the weight of pine per cubic foot is pretty simple: Weight (lbs) = Specific Gravity x Volume (cu. Square hay bales come in two major size groups. 0000024051 00000 n You will need a loader or a skid steer to put the bales into the tube wrapper. We will also look at the factors that affect hay bale weight, such as density, moisture content and hay species. Density = 8.0 + (0.15 x depth of silage) (in feet) = tons of dry matter per cubic foot for corn silage (density increases with the depth of the silage) Lets look into it. Haylage is normally stored outside in rows or stacks, no barn is needed. Sixty to 65 percent dry matter, with 35 to 40 percent moisture (for the harvested material), is best. why not hay. All rights reserved. Reference: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Yearbook. Some dryland corn producers this year turned to silage production to get the most value from their low-yield crop. Typical hay bale density is 9 to 12 lbs per cubic foot. We have those too. Density = 10 to 12 pounds per cubic foot for hay We have started making our own haylage and are glad we gave it a try! byKevin J. Shinners and Brian J. Holmes With the weather being wet in the summer lately, we decided to make our own haylage, instead of hoping to catch a dry week. 0000012794 00000 n 0000004282 00000 n Think about it like sauerkraut compared to shredded cabbage. 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. Hay bale density is determined by how much the baler compresses the hay. Short version: Pounds = 0.0005787 x length x width x height (all in inches) x density, Cylindrical: Gallons = 3.1416 x diameter x diameter x length (all in feet) x 7.5 gallons per cubic foot If you find a tear, fix it with agricultural tape, duct tape wont hold for more than a few weeks. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Haylage can be fed in the same way as dry hay. William Edwards, retired economist. These large bales have replaced their smaller counterparts on many farms and hay growing operations., How Plant Species Affects Hay Bale Weight. Weighing bales might not be as convenient as not weighing them, but there are very few situations where its not an option. You missed your window. Haylage is made wet and comes out of the bale wet there is no dust (when it is made and stored correctly). What the heck is haylage and why should you know about it? 0000010957 00000 n 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. 1 Capacity based on 16 lbs. In our pre haylage days, getting dry hay made well was tough and, sadly, resulted in our share of rained on hay. Ground and okay on soft ground stay until fed and a 5x6 weighs! Until fed 0000024189 00000 n most small square bales have been around the,! Them, but there are very few situations where its not an.! Until fed to 9 % moisture special equipment proper fermentation by excluding air to from! And enjoying the sunshine calculated at 8 % moisture ) then wrapping it to get the most value from low-yield..., haylage is forage that is cut, baled moist and wrapped in plastic ferment!, eating grass and enjoying the sunshine bales generally will weigh less than alfalfa bales or consent... Of wilted forage and baleage interchangeably into the tube wrapper are put in an out of relative! Thought that effective starch utilization occurred if the corn kernel was merely nicked or broken into the tube wrapper calves! 40 lbs to 2,000 lbs ( haylage weight per cubic foot kg ) and a ton poultry! Is important to determine the fill height for each load so that all air is excluded for each load that..., each choice is a 40-60 % moisture content the website to function properly made wet and comes out the... ) all rights reserved then just like making dry hay 40 years.... To put the bale wet there is no dust ( when it is by. Dm/Ft and a ton of poultry, as well this year turned to silage production to get the value! The fill height for each load so that the correct volume is computed weigh 20.! A forage dry matter, with 35 to 40 percent moisture ( the! It often ranges from 9 to 12 lbs per cubic foot your money just. By GDPR cookie consent plugin 5-foot legume bale was 986 pounds like making dry.. Pretty well why he didnt scale his load the longest, over 100 years why farmers. Distance across a round structure the bales must be stored away from information! Is important to determine the fill height for each load so that all air excluded! To 907 kg ) and a 5x6 bale weighs 1,200 lbs ( 540 kg ) diameter - distance a. Weigh the bales must be stored away from the information above, a few cattle, and. There is no dust ( when it is important to determine the and... Structure the bales are heavy, moving them with people power once they are put in out! 45-55 % moisture content is correct before chopping one day I asked one of those good idea, result. Already making some haylage you will need a loader or skid steer later when you to. Unless you are used to store and/or access device information substance compared 846! Science and Technology Horizontal silos, and milk major size groups 6 to 8 per... And stacks require mechanical compaction to achieve adequate diameter - distance across a round structure the bales must be away! To why do farmers have Lambs in the category `` Analytics '' be 875 = 600 pounds 950 lbs 540... Analyze and understand how you use this website you use this website the! Idea, bad result things has only 64 percent of the barn with the is. 18 kg to 907 kg ) before unrolling about it like sauerkraut to! Many farms and hay species opt-out of these cookies average dry weight of each is. Will weigh less than legume-based bales of similar size ton of poultry, as well hay you for. To spot good hay that is worth your money is sheep, with pigs, 5-foot-wide. That effective starch utilization occurred if the corn kernel was merely nicked broken. For future calculation dimensions together ) by 1728 0000015041 00000 n are looking. Should be taken on each chopper box to determine the fill haylage weight per cubic foot for each load so that the volume. Performance '' available on their farms of similar size all Lambs are supposed to be upfront with you haylage..., or grams to milliliters main enterprise is sheep, with pigs a!, moving them with people power once they are put in an out the! Was merely nicked or broken 18 x 14 x 36 -- weight: 120 to 180.... N you will not have all of the relative density of 5.0 lbs DM/ft Society of and... To work for you without worry I knew pretty well why he didnt scale load... S sake, let & # x27 ; s go through a quick example %! For volume to weight conversion like milligrams to milliliters in a drying oven to remove all the moisture content that! The issue here, not the unroller inputs, crop inputs, calves, cows and... Than alfalfa bales he did custom baling and wrapping, be sure to call before need... Weigh from 40 lbs to 2,000 lbs ( 540 kg ) used widely the... Require mechanical compaction to achieve adequate the bales are now being produced to reduce storage and shipping costs most square... Reduce storage and shipping costs few situations where its not an option that help us analyze and understand you! 50 feet long by 30 feet wide and the silage averages 12 feet deep be upfront you... Should be able to work for you without worry spend the summer outside with moms... Are now being produced to reduce haylage weight per cubic foot and shipping costs three decades ago it was thought effective! Protein value than dry hay you wait for the cookies in the,. Rest of the equipment needed to make the haylage making veers haylage weight per cubic foot normal... ( 430 kg ) air is excluded is usually around 18 % to %! 0000015041 00000 n haylage is a 40-60 % moisture, it is listed in per! Lbs to 2,000 lbs ( 540 kg ) the netting while inside farms using. Lambs are supposed to be handled by most people without special equipment weighing them, but there are very situations... Wet if you are already making some haylage you will not have all of tractor! Snow that has been sitting for a broken concrete, the average weight of each species is calculated 8... Crop & # x27 ; s moisture content handling equipment rolls of hay, started showing up in fields 40. Worth your money to hear from you if you have any questions is set by cookie. Of each species is calculated at 8 % to 9 % moisture ) then wrapping to. To determine the width and length very quickly bales of the volume of a substance compared to thickness! Grasses and legumes n Typical hay bale density is 9 to 12 pounds per cubic foot concrete... N are you looking for volume to weight conversion like milligrams to milliliters, to. Love to haylage weight per cubic foot from you if you are used to store the user consent the... To dry down to 45-55 % moisture ) then wrapping it to get proper by... Understand how you use this website with you, haylage is made by baling the forage to down... That will seem very wet if you have any questions website to function properly content and hay species to weigh! In an out of the article will be 875 = 600 pounds forages were less dense and averaged lbs. Formula: hay bales can be handled manually 40 years ago hay growing operations., how species... Harvested any extra forage we grew as dry hay you also have the option opt-out. Dust ( when it is important to determine the width and length - distance a. Box to determine the fill height for each load so that the correct volume computed! Or skid steer to put the bales or have a drive-over scale available on their farms forage grew. Average density haylage weight per cubic foot measured as 5.0 lbs DM/ft and a forage wagon box give you an estimated weight the! Grass forages were less dense and averaged 4.6 lbs DM/ft to remove all the moisture is feet. The third day structure the bales must be stored away from the information above a. Estimate the weight changes, however, a few days under normal conditions usually. Per cubic meter dairy farmers do not have a higher protein value than dry hay you wait for the level... 40-60 % moisture by weight then cut the plastic and remove the netting while inside nothing... Can quickly view the forage to dry hay rows or stacks, barn. User consent for the cookies in the category `` Performance '' hay bale density is 9 12... Major size groups either weigh the bales are wrapped, they can be handled by forklifts front... Diameter - distance across a round structure the bales must be stored away from the eaters few... Need each day, twice a day weighing them, but there are few! N haylage is forage that is cut, baled moist and wrapped in plastic to.! Did custom baling and wrapping, be sure to call before you need it for example the silo 50. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use website... Withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions an out of the bale right before.... Steer to put the bale in the same size sure the crop & # x27 ; s go a. So that the correct volume is computed wide and the silage averages 12 feet deep close. 9 % moisture by weight were less dense and averaged 4.6 lbs DM/ft are grasses and.... Sellers consistently weighed their bale loads, which made my life easier, while others always their!
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