# Hay preservatives



## OhioHay (Jun 4, 2008)

I know it was discussed awhile back, but we are still looking at different products. I would really like to here from anyone who uses Conklins pro serve 111 or Agri Kings Silo King for hay. I guess these are the two that we are comparing. Any feed back on the pros and cons of these two or any others would be appreciated.

Thanks, Tim


----------



## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

I have three balers with Silo-King applicators on them. I won't bale a bale of alfalfa or decent grass hay without treating. On alfalfa, I can bale at higher moisture. Saves leaves and compensates for Southern Indiana humidity. Hay does not heat up, stays cool, holds color, does not mold. Also, Silo-King treated hay will be softer and more palatible after 30 days or more in storage as it completes the curing process, unlike acid treated hay that cures at rock-hard brittle. This will be my tenth year of treating hay with Silo-King and will probably treat 1000 to 1500 ton this year. I also am a rep for Agri-King and have a lot of satified clients using Silo-King, several of which switched from acid or other products.


----------



## ISF (Jun 4, 2008)

OhioHay said:


> I know it was discussed awhile back, but we are still looking at different products. I would really like to here from anyone who uses Conklins pro serve 111 or Agri Kings Silo King for hay. I guess these are the two that we are comparing. Any feed back on the pros and cons of these two or any others would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks, Tim


Tim:

Another option is Silo Guard. We have some very happy customers right in your neighborhood. Drop me an email and I can give you more information.

[email protected]


----------



## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

The bacteria are designed to do just as he says. As long as you are using one of the aerobic bacteria. The anaerobic bacteria are for silage not hay.

A bacteria will allow us to go up to 22% moisture with small bales, and about 18% moisture with big square bales. The humidity remark is right on. The humidity can be up in the 70% range and not mold. Big squares upper range is in the 60% maybe 65% RH range

How the bacteria work is they occupy every site that will host a fungus and it starts growing there first. The key is the coverage of the material has to fill ALL the fungal host sites first. 
The buffered acid is a little more forgiving and cost more. The advantage is the vapors or fumes from the acid are what stop the fungus from growing. In theory you can bale up to 40% moisture with acid. In practice about 28% moisture is about the economic upper limit of the product. 
Be sure to read the label not the advertising.
In my corner of the world we have two maybe three hours of baling. That is between too damp to bale to leaves flying dry. You can pick up an extra hour of baling time with ether product. 
My solution is not to cut more hay in one day than I can bale in one day. Do that every day as long as the weather is not too nervous.


----------



## 4020man (Jun 21, 2008)

We run Pro-Serve III and we are happy with it. We spray it on as its being cut(you can mount it on the baler, but the guy that helped us get set up told us to set it up this way. We have baled the third cutting at 24% and have been feeding it and there has been no mold, and it has never heated up. We use it on all our hay. If you are interested, send me a pm and I will give the name and # of the guy who helped us get started.


----------



## Dano1124 (Mar 30, 2009)

How do you have your applicators set up on your baler?

I was looking at this tread and see a lot of the folks treating hay...sounds like it helps no matter what product you use... as in everything some prefer one over another.

I'm just getting started and want to provide the best service to my customers...this may put me above the others doing the custom bale business...marketing makes a difference.

Thanks for any tips.

BTW&#8230; I have a older NH 851 round baler:


----------



## forager (Jul 19, 2008)

Mr. 101,what type of balers do you have and what form is the silo-king and how do you apply it?I have been using silo-king on chopped haylage and am thinking of using on our round baler.Thanks


----------



## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

forager said:


> Mr. 101,what type of balers do you have and what form is the silo-king and how do you apply it?I have been using silo-king on chopped haylage and am thinking of using on our round baler.Thanks


Forager,

I run a NH BR780A round baler, NH BB940 3x3 square, and a NH 570 small square. All three are equipped with dry Silo-King. Agri-King has updated their website and there are a lot of pics available under the Silo-King section listed under applicators. Go to agriking.com.


----------



## ISF (Jun 4, 2008)

A lot of the custom hay balers that I deal with prefer to use a liquid product because they feel they get better application of the product. It can be used with any liquid applicator available, and works well with the Harvest Tec systems.

It works as an oxygen scavenger and by removing the oxygen it stops mold and yeast replication. It is totally safe to use and typically less expensive than the other products.

It keeps the hay green and soft. Used properly it prevents dust (mold) and helps to reduce heating.

Silo Guard is effective up to 25% moisture. We've seen some really good results on hay baled in small squares, rounds and large square bales.

If you have questions, PM me and I can give you more information. We also work with a company that provides all types of application equipment.

We'd be glad to come and discuss the options personally with you and determine which applicator and product would best suit your needs.

[email protected]


----------



## Itsalwayssomething (Aug 19, 2008)

I'd sure like to use preservative but I don't have a new baler and, with price of seed and fertilizer, I can't go out and buy new equipment. I've dialed up the hay production this year to almost 200 acres so I think I'd better dial down the stress level by using preservative. Does anyone know if I can put a moisture sensor and preservative applicator on my New Holland 276 (square baler)? What about an old JD 410 (Round)? or am I just talking crazy?


----------



## TBrown (Nov 27, 2008)

You can put the systems on anything. You may have to drill a few holes and make some mounts because I am not sure of any systems that are built specifically for you balers but it could be done.


----------

