How To Make Haylage

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How To Make Haylage

• By
• Martha Thomas
• marthat_at_ufl.edu
• UF/IFAS Livestock Agent

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Haylage Production

• Haylage is forage that is baled at a higher
  moisture content than dry hay and then stored in
  a sealed plastic wrap.
• Because of high moisture level and air-tight
  environment, the forage ferments and is preserved
  by acid production during fermentation.

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Advantages

• Decreased curing time needed from cutting to
  bailing, which makes weather less of a factor in
  harvesting.
• Potential for more timely harvest of large
  quantities of forage.

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Advantages

• Decreased need for mechanical handling and time
  curing to dry the forage reduces the loss of
  leaves, the most digestible part of the plant.
• Potential for higher feed quality bale through
  leaf preservation and possible nitrate reduction.
  

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Disadvantages

• Increased harvest cost per bale vs. conventional
  hay.
• Disposal of used plastic wrap.
• More likely to spoil as compared to silage in
  traditional silos.

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Disadvantages

• Risk of forage spoilage if integrity of wrap is
  not maintained. Birds Rodents can puncture
  plastic and holes must be covered.
• Transportation of bales is limited due to cost of
  moving high-moisture bales.

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Haylage Production

• Forage is baled at 50-60 percent moisture. This
  is the single most important variable.
• To much moisture reduces feed quality and reduces
  dry matter storage in wrap.
• Inadequate moisture reduces fermentation and
  increases mold production, greatly increasing
  storage losses.

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Wrapping

• Dry Hay bale is used at the ends to seal tube.
  Caps can also be bought for end of tubes.
• Wrapper walks forward as new bales are placed on
  platform.

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Storage

• Site should be cleared of stubble and sharp
  objects. Perimeter of the stack can be sprayed
  to kill weeds that would harbor rodents and
  insects that would damage wrap.
• Find a shady area, preferably on a north facing
  slope, to avoid temperature fluctuations that can
  degrade haylage and plastic.

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Storage

• Holes in the plastic should be patched as soon as
  possible. Wind causes loose plastic to billow
  out, providing an air exchange that usually
  spoils most of the outer layer of the bale.

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Feeding

• Similar to feeding large round bales of hay. Can
  be safely fed to cattle, sheep, and goats.
• Not recommended for horses because of the risk of
  mold if not properly harvested or damaged during
  storage.
• The tube may be opened to remove individual bales
  and resealed without significant spoilage for up
  to two weeks.

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References

• University of Florida Forage Workers Tour- Heldon
  Ranch Dunnellon, FL
• Haylage. Robeson County Center NC Cooperative
  Extension. September 9, 2008