# Wrapping dry hay



## TessiersFarm (Aug 30, 2009)

I have a customer wanting to buy round bales of horse hay. She has no inside storage nor do I. She has asked me about wrapping them. I have an individual bale wrapper and I told her it would cost about five dollars a bale which she is willing to pay. Does anyone have any experience with this, Wondering if they will get condensation inside and mold. If they will keep good and she’s willing to pay the extra cost I’m all for it. Thanks for any replies. Thanks for any replies


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Just talking with a film customer the other day that has a friend that does it.So this is second hand info but he said dry hay requires a full 8 wraps to keep the condensation down,a lot think can get by with a few wraps with dry hay.

Also heard to use black film on dry hay on here and other sites.

Also heard to let the hay go threw its sweat before wrapping.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Basically wrapping dry hay is like when I tarped dry hay, like swmnhay pointed out, it needs to go thru a sweat first.

I'd fill my normally used building with first cutting, then place the first that was going to be tarped in another building and let it sit for 2-3 weeks before tarping otherwise it always molded where the tarp contacted it.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Yup, let it sweat first then wrap it. Preferably in black plastic.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Why not just buy a carport to store the bales under?? They start at $595 in a lot of places, and go up with the size... additional sheets of tin are cheap at Lowe's to enclose the sides down to the ground, and close off the back end, or you can pay extra and have it done by the installers...

Tarps are cheap enough too, but require some effort to put on right (so they STAY on and don't disintegrate from flapping).

The main thing is making SURE you don't get the condensation inside the film or under the tarp... because the hay will mold and rot wherever the condensation touches the hay, because it will stay wet. I've heard of guys getting molded hay where the tarps were touching the hay due to condensation on the inside of the tarp, and having to "spike" 2x4's onto the bales to hold the tarp up off the hay itself a bit and allow for some air circulation to dry out the condensation... wrapping dry hay means there will be ZERO air circulation, so whatever moisture is inside the bale when its wrapped will be free to float around in there and cause all sorts of problems...

I'm sure it can be done, but IMHO a guy sure better know what he's doing, particularly with horse hay, or end up with a lot of ruined hay... I know I for one would be like "I wrap it when YOU say, and NO RETURNS"...

Later! OL J R


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Totally agree on your last point, Luke, but not on the carport. The size one would need for any amount of bales would totally defeat the purpose. Is a $500 carport going to store more than four bales?


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## TessiersFarm (Aug 30, 2009)

It’s not my call what she does. I’m selling them dry and delivered. If I wrap I’ll do it as I load them on the trailer no guarantee. That being said I don’t want to do something I know is wrong either. Just trying to see what others have done. All mine go under cover. I just don’t have extra storage.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

She could just tarp it. We put those hay tarps on all of our hay; they are kind of expensive and only last a two or three years. It is not the perfect solution, but it works.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

8350HiTech said:


> Totally agree on your last point, Luke, but not on the carport. The size one would need for any amount of bales would totally defeat the purpose. Is a $500 carport going to store more than four bales?


Well, point taken... but you CAN get them bigger... our tractor shed is a carport 20x22 and the legs are 10 feet tall, making it over 11 feet at the lowest point and about 13-14 at the peak... only ran us $2200... I've STRONGLY considered getting another one for hay storage, if the boss would agree...

BUT, of course being a "building" (or "asset" perhaps is a better term) it's taxed... tarps aren't taxable.

I know years ago we bought a big roll of bale sleeves at TSC, black plastic sleeves 6 feet around that you slid over the bales by hand as you stacked them... we baled soybean hay that year after drought wiped out the cotton crop, and we needed *something* for hay BADLY... we sleeved the bales because the outsides were rather coarse and I figured they'd soak up water like a sponge, and after going without basically a drop of rain for over four months, it had started raining regularly again, and I didn't want them to rot. We left them in the field for about a week and then gathered them up, sleeved them one by one, and stacked them in rows butted flat-to-flat like normal...

When we unsleeved them we saw white mold and mildew on the outside of the bales where the plastic had been touching the bales, some worse than others, some hardly affected at all, some looked like fuzzy marshmallows around the circumference... just depended on how much moisture outgassed from the bale and condensed under the plastic sheet...

The cows ate them just fine, no ill effects, and they loved the hay, but it sure made me leery of using bale bonnets... even with the ends open (no plastic, just butted up against each other) there wasn't enough ventilation between bales to prevent condensation. I could just IMAGINE the amount of condensation inside a bale COMPLETELY WRAPPED AND SEALED inside plastic... If there's enough to ferment, fine-- if not, ROT, mold, and mildew...

I've heard guys talking about tarping bales saying they've had similar experiences at times, where moisture condenses on the inside of the tarp, runs down, and is trapped in the outer layer of hay next to the tarp, and molds... I've also heard guys say they used big bridge spike nails through 2x4's stuck to the bales to keep the tarp a couple inches above the bale surface itself, to provide a little clearance for ventilation, so the trapped condensed moisture can escape, and it prevents the problem...

That's been my experience and what I've read anyway, and I'd be real careful if I was in their shoes... particularly with "horse hay"...

Later and good luck! OL J R


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I guessing wrapping dry hay, even after it has gone through its sweat, will often cause mold where the plastic touches the hay.

My reasoning: Dried hay will be at best 12-14% moisture. During warm/cold cycles of the weather, moisture from the bale will tend to migrate to and condense on the colder plastic, thereby allowing mold to grow on the outer 1-2" of the bale.

I've had mold on bales stored under tarp that had mold where the bale and tarp touched.

Just guessing.....

Ralph


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Heard of a guy spraying preservative on bale surface before wrapping.IDK if it worked.


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## StxPecans (Mar 3, 2018)

Howlong is this customer storing the hay? Over a years time spoilage isnt that much on a round bale... How maby bales are we talking? Thecostof wraping and added exspense of buying a bale squeeze could be offset by justbuying a few more bales?

Are these like race horses or somthing?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

StxPecans said:


> Howlong is this customer storing the hay? Over a years time spoilage isnt that much on a round bale... How maby bales are we talking? Thecostof wraping and added exspense of buying a bale squeeze could be offset by justbuying a few more bales?
> 
> Are these like race horses or somthing?


A bale spear and a roll of tape is a lot cheaper than a squeeze.


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## W Bench Farms (May 19, 2016)

Several years ago, I wrapped a dozen to 20 bales with a 3 point wrapper. Just the round ends. The flat sides were open. Bales came out just like they went in. I was really happy with it.

I have upgraded to an individual wrapper, and have thought of wrapping some dry hay I put up this year. I have heard of some folks slitting the plastic on the flat ends to let it breath some. Anyone else done this? I do have some concerns with botulism and horses. Have seen in on some wet bales, and never turns out well. Didn't know if the sealed dry bales would have this problem or not.


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## Dr Dean (Nov 4, 2013)

Thank you for this topic. My baler is a twine tie only and I have been trying to figure out a way to limit waste, Good to know that if I let the bales sweat I should be good wrapping.


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## tim5 (Apr 12, 2015)

I've wrapped dry hay shortly after baling. Comes out nice for feeding to heifers. I have no hesitation wrapping dry hay shortly after baling if being fed to cattle. May get some "mow burn" on edges and occasional mold. Needs to be wrapped with black plastic and same # wraps as if wrapping wet hay for baleage. Less wraps and will definitely get mold and spoilage. I have individual 3pt wrapper.

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## Beav (Feb 14, 2016)

If you bale round bales at 12% they usually don't sweat, We bale and tarp same day several times with no problems. Tarps are about $400 to $500 that cover 72 4X5 bales,tie downs included.We can haul stack and cover in a couple of hours depending on travel time hay keeps very well but not as good as inside a building. Also use pallets to keep hay of the ground or lose 6" or more off the bottom of the bale.The tarps will last 5 or 6 years if you take care of them correctly


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## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

luke strawwalker said:


> Well, point taken... but you CAN get them bigger... our tractor shed is a carport 20x22 and the legs are 10 feet tall, making it over 11 feet at the lowest point and about 13-14 at the peak... only ran us $2200... I've STRONGLY considered getting another one for hay storage, if the boss would agree...
> 
> BUT, of course being a "building" (or "asset" perhaps is a better term) it's taxed... tarps aren't taxable.
> 
> ...


I had talked with a neighbor of mine, and asked him, if he knew someone, that had a portable garage, he told me, that he might know of someone, but to leave it with him.
Well he had an outdoor wedding last night, as he got re married, and I had attended, it, I had noticed this single car garage, he was using as a tent, for the smoking tent, for the people, that smoked, thought to myself, I wished I had that building.
As it turned out, they got a Hot Tub, as a wedding gift, and it was delivered last evening, when I was there. I was asked to go back today, with my loader tractor, and pallet forks, to unload it. Told them, sure thing, not a problem.
I had to go to town, so on the way home, I stopped in, at the neighbors, to size up the job, and my neighbor asked me, if I was still looking for a garage. I told him I was, he told me, I could have it, for $150.00, told him Sold. 
Him and his 3 sons, were going to just grab it, amd carry it down the road, told him, I had a 20 foot flat rack wagon, I'd build a platformer on it, as a base, for the garage, and we would just load it onto the wagon, and I'd haul it home, even though, it was less that a quarter of a mile, away.
By the time, I got the wagon ready, I got a call, saying my neighbors help, had arrived, went to his place, unloaded the hot tub, a fair sized outfit, weighing around 1,300 Lbs, manovered it into position, we got the garage loaded onto my wagon, him and his three sons, rode on the wagon, holding onto the garage, pulled into my yard, we unloaded it into it's temperarally position, as the spot I want it to go, isn't ready yet.
All this garage, was used for, since it was brand new, was a smoking tent, at 3 outdoor weddings, and after the weddings, taken down, and put away, into storage, except for today, was moved as a building. I have some round bales, of straw, I had baled 2 years ago, I'm going to put into small squares, amd store inside this building, and maybe if I have some room, maybe a few round bales, of hay. Thanks for the advice.


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## Mf5612 (Apr 29, 2018)

This year my son wrapped 200 4x5 bales. They had acid put on them and were dry n cool before we wrapped them. We had no indoor room left. We can’t keep tarps on very well.we have fed out 100 bales so far n they are just like we put them in. My son will not cheap out on less plastic either. This yr we tried 6 skids of green wrap. Sum guys say they have bird problems w white plastic.


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## TessiersFarm (Aug 30, 2009)

I did end up wrapping a couple of loads, 20 bales. She was very pleased, wants 50 next year. She claims little or no waste. I charged her $5 per bale which is pretty much cost, but it kept a good customer.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

TessiersFarm said:


> I did end up wrapping a couple of loads, 20 bales. She was very pleased, wants 50 next year. She claims little or no waste. I charged her $5 per bale which is pretty much cost, but it kept a good customer.


What was your process? I think about doing this from time to time as space can be limited.


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## Aussiemac (Nov 16, 2018)

Mf5612, what is this acid you talk of? Obviously a coating to deter the mould. I would be interested to see if I can get it in Australia as I live in about 95% humidity for most of the year (we’ve had 55” of rain in the last 5 weeks!!!) Bruce, that is a good deal, I looked at one of those container igloos a while ago, the ones that get erected between 2 40’ shipping containers. Thought if I could close the ends in I could certainly use the containers for parts storage. Never eventuated but I often wonder if people use soft covers or hard iron sheds? Most people store in shed around here.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Buffered proprionic acid is the main component of the hay preservative liquids used in North America.



Aussiemac said:


> Mf5612, what is this acid you talk of? Obviously a coating to deter the mould. I would be interested to see if I can get it in Australia as I live in about 95% humidity for most of the year (we've had 55" of rain in the last 5 weeks!!!) Bruce, that is a good deal, I looked at one of those container igloos a while ago, the ones that get erected between 2 40' shipping containers. Thought if I could close the ends in I could certainly use the containers for parts storage. Never eventuated but I often wonder if people use soft covers or hard iron sheds? Most people store in shed around here.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I'm putting some thought into wrapping. Guy up the road bought a continuous wrapper for about $27,000. He cuts today, bales and wraps tomorrow. I don't know what the plastic wrap costs.

I build a 42x60 hoop building about 10 years ago. Cost me $12,000 for the building plus about another $6,000 for dirt work, rock, 5' pony wall and labor. All told: $18,000. I can store 200 5x5 bales. I cut today, bale 2-3 days later. I may are may not single stack and re-stack later if I bale at a little higher moisture.

He has to open the wrapper, remove the netwrap and haul to the pasture.

I take them out of the building, remove the net wrap and feed across the road.

So, I'm thinking the trade off is wrapping costs more upfront and takes more effort to feed vs the one or two days between cutting and baling then storing.

Just thinking.

Ralph


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## Goldenstables (Jan 19, 2019)

I’ve wrapped a lot of dry hay and baled a lot of iffy hay. 17 to 30% hay and the hay is as good as the day it was baled. You baled iffy hay and put it in the shed and it still heated and you just lost all the nutritional value even if it didn’t burn the shed down. I wrap all my hay dry or wet and have zero easy or loss of nutritional value. It costs me about $5 a bale plus cost of machine but don’t have to worry if I’m going to burn the shed down and loose everything in it.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

slowzuki said:


> Buffered proprionic acid is the main component of the hay preservative liquids used in North America.


That would be SOME of the hay preservatives liquids used in NA, your statement implies all. 

Regards, Mike


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Absolutely Mike, should have said of the most common products. There are two alternatives to acid I believe in the liquid based preservatives.



Vol said:


> That would be SOME of the hay preservatives liquids used in NA, your statement implies all.
> 
> Regards, Mike


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

rjmoses said:


> I'm putting some thought into wrapping. Guy up the road bought a continuous wrapper for about $27,000. He cuts today, bales and wraps tomorrow. I don't know what the plastic wrap costs.Ralph


I don't think that this would be considered dry hay. I remember when the wrapping came about a few decades ago and it was to create a cheaper alternative for making sileage. I've heard that the forage did very well and compared very favourably with that coming from silos.


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## Eastfreo (Aug 15, 2017)

Keen to watch this topic. We do a lot of hay across a number of farms/blocks in our area. Basically I am weighing up cost of building some extra sheds vs wastage of weathering of about 4500 round bales we do a year. I was thinking about covering with a covering of silage wrap but worried about whether this would cause more issues than it solves


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## Mf5612 (Apr 29, 2018)

Hi aussiemac,the product I use is called The Juice.its made in Ontario. I think it’s 90 percent propionic acid and 10 percent citric acid.we have used it for 15 yrs.


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## javafarmbatavia (Jan 28, 2016)

The Juice is 68% propionic with 5% citrus and 2% surfactant. We're the only dealer in the United States of it and usually sell one and a half to two truckloads of it a year.


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

So how is "the juice" applied? As your baling or just before wrapping? I used the Cropsaver stuff from Newholland last fall and was surprised how well it worked. Never got a hot bale but some are dusty not that its a big deal as I didnt get many bales to worry about cows ate them all up.
I'm very curious about this wrapping dry stuff.... I would love to be able to save good horse hay in big bales and store out side. Its easy enough to re-bale into smalls at a later date.


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## javafarmbatavia (Jan 28, 2016)

It's applied in the pickup, just has 3.5% higher propionic acid in the mix and is less expensive since there are less "hands" touching the product therefore the per pound price of the product is lower. I'd think that with rounds you'd want to increase the application rate a bit since the bales are larger and more compact than small squares to decrease the chance of the bales getting dusty(even though the application rates for small squares and large rounds are the same on application charts).


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## Mf5612 (Apr 29, 2018)

I have 2 nozzles that spray into the pickup on my no baler. I built the whole system myself.


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