1 MF-1066 Farm Machinery and Equipment Large Round L arge round balers are Bale Hay Storage also may be lower. Feed one of the most economical value loss in weathered hay hay production systems is usually a greater source of because of low labor require- loss than that from total dry Randy Taylor ments. One person can Extension Specialist matter loss. When both are potentially handle the entire Farm Power and Machinery calculated, total feed loss haying operation with the during storage can easily large round bale hay produc- Dale Blasi surpass 50 percent. tion system. A Kansas Extension Specialist Weathering losses are Cooperative Extension sur- Livestock Production, South Central generally limited to the outer vey of south central Kansas 4 to 8 inches for hay stored farmers found that 72 percent Kevin Dhuyvetter outside. However, in a 5- NE Area Extension Agricultural Economist used large round bales as foot-diameter bale, approxi- their primary hay package mately one-third of the while another 18 percent Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering bale’s volume is in the outer used round bales and small 4 inches, and more than half square bales. Reduced palatability and digestibility of the volume is in the outer 8 inches. Large round bales do have draw- are usually caused by weather exposure, For a 6-foot-diameter bale, one-third backs. Because of their shape, they are but can be caused by high moisture of the hay is in the outer 6 inches and not well suited for barn storage. A hay content at baling. Weathered hay may one-half is in the outer 12 inches. barn simply will not hold as much hay not be as appealing to livestock, so Though weathering losses reaching a in round bales as in square. The survey feeding losses increase with the amount depth of 12 inches are uncommon, revealed that almost 60 percent of of hay refused. Furthermore, consump- they are possible. However, weather- respondents store all hay in large round tion of weathered hay doesn’t mean ing losses as deep as 4 inches in bales bales outside unprotected and 25 percent livestock are getting feed value from stored outside unprotected are com- store a portion of their hay outside it. If digestibility is lower, rate of gain monly found. This means 20 to 50 unprotected. Though large round bales shed some rain, significant water pen- etration can occur if storage conditions are less than ideal. Storage losses occur even under the best (barn) storage conditions with any type of hay. However, losses are greatest for large round bales stored unprotected outside. Some storage loss is natural, either from dry matter loss or reductions in palatability and digestibility. Dry matter loss is simply a reduc- tion in weight of the bale due to de- composition and handling as well as losses to rodents. It does not include any reduction in moisture content due to additional drying. Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service 2 Figure 1. Outside storage depends on annual Storage losses for large round bales to handle with some truck-mounted rainfall. stored outside in Kansas with no pro- equipment, but losses will be higher. Good tection can easily exceed 25 percent, Outside but losses can be minimized through End to End: Tightly stacking bales end Good Storage good management. Figure 1 shows to end makes better use of the storage Outside Barn Storage Storage storage recommendations for large area and protects the ends from Consider round bales. If outside storage is the weathering. If bales are not stacked Barn chosen method, attention to storage tightly against each other, rain could Storage site and stacking method can minimize penetrate the ends and increase damage. Annual Rainfall 25" 35" losses in feed value. North-south bale rows allow an equal amount of sunlight on both sides of the bale row, which results in more percent of a bale can be affected by Storage Site uniform drying. Leaving at least 3 feet weather under poor storage conditions. Deterioration at the bottom of bales between rows allows air circulation Hay type also affects the severity of stored on damp soil can be substantial. and sunlight to reach bales and reduces losses due to weather exposure. Stemmy A well-drained site will help minimize the chance of snow accumulation on hays such as alfalfa, sudan and mature moisture absorption and thus deterio- the bales. If snow accumulation is a small grains generally don’t form a ration. If possible, elevate bales by possibility, stack rows farther apart to good thatch and deteriorate faster than stacking on old tires, shipping pallets allow sunlight to melt the snow. grass hay. This is important, since the or railroad ties. Adding a base layer of The table below shows dry matter thatched layer is responsible for shed- 3 to 4 inches of crushed rock to the losses associated with weathering for ding rainfall. Bales receiving low storage site will help minimize losses different stacking methods for alfalfa amounts of rainfall naturally weather at the bottom of bales. Storing bales on and brome hay storage in Kansas. less than bales receiving high amounts. the ridge of a hill instead of near the Although this study found no signifi- Producers should consider annual bottom will also help reduce bottom cant differences between north-south precipitation amounts when determin- deterioration. Weeds or tall grass at the versus east-west rows, the former is ing a suitable storage method. storage site will increase deterioration preferred because of uniform drying. Storage method and length of stor- of the bottom of the bale. Quality losses on the north side of the age have a strong impact on weather- Round bales stored outside need air east-west row exceeded those on the ing losses. Barn-stored hay suffers circulation and sunlight to help dry the south side of the row. The bales used significantly less weathering loss than outer layer after a rain. Storing the in the study were fairly dense and well unprotected hay stored outside. Dry bales under trees blocks wind circula- formed, which confirms that minimiz- matter losses for barn-stored hay gen- tion and sunlight, which enhances bale ing hay storage losses begins at baling. erally range from 2 to 8 percent. Cov- drying. Any rain protection trees might This study also emphasizes that site ering outside stored hay can also re- offer is more than offset by damage selection is more important than row duce weathering. Hay stored outside from shading. orientation. will continue to deteriorate, but most spoilage occurs early in the storage Stacking Method Stacks: In the past, stacking bales in period. Hay stored in barns for long There are a variety of methods for pyramids has been a popular way to periods also will continue to deterio- stacking large round bales. This publi- minimize storage space requirements. rate, but at a much slower rate. cation will discuss the methods in However, if bales are not covered, A well-formed, dense bale will three categories. weathering losses can be devastating. minimize storage losses through im- A South Dakota study reported dry proved handling ability and weather Individual Bales: Bales are sometimes resistance. Moisture content at baling stored individually for ease of han- also plays an important role. If hay is dling with equipment that grabs the Table 1. Average dry matter losses for storage too wet, quality could decrease due to bale from both ends. If bales are stored sites and stacking methods for alfalfa and heating. However, baling too dry could individually, a space of at least 18 brome hay. cause baler losses to increase dramati- inches between bales is needed for air Rooks Wabaunsee cally. While round bales can be baled circulation. Storing bales with the Stacking County County at moisture contents ranging from 15 rounded sides touching is not recom- Method (alfalfa) (brome) to 20 percent (depending on condi- mended because this creates a trap for E-W Rows 9.8% 11.0% tions), the ideal moisture content is rain and snow. The bales may be easier N-S Rows 10.1% 14.1% approximately 18 percent. Stacked 7.9% 11.6% 3 matter losses in prairie hay stacked in ends of bales. Researchers in Canada expensive if a structure needs to be pyramids at more than 10 percent for and Louisiana reported finding moisture built. A typical pole barn with 16 to 18 one year of storage. Dry matter losses accumulating in the bottom of plastic- feet of clearance requires 12 to 15 were 4 percent for bales stacked wrapped bales stored end-to-end. square feet of floor space per ton of individually and less than 1 percent for hay stored depending on bale size, bales stacked end to end. Covering Bales density, and stacking method. Initial Another method becoming popular Covering bales offers some promise construction cost will depend on in Kansas is to turn one bale on end for reducing weather-related losses for whether the barn is open-sided or fully and then stack another on top of it, as bales stored outside. However, it does enclosed. Based on an initial construc- shown in the photo on page 1. This has have drawbacks. First, if a low quality tion cost of $4.20 per square foot for been referred to as the “Canadian” cover is used, it may be subject to wind an open-sided barn and $5.50 per method, though the source of the name damage. Any tears in plastic tarps must square foot for a fully enclosed barn, is unknown.