# Silage bale rates



## Whatnow

Central Kentucky.... what are people charging to mow rake bale 4x5 silage bales??


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## Vol

Google KY Custom Farming Rates.

Regards, Mike


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## Whatnow

Thanks hay master
Been there ...there seems to be only one actual responder and a big discrepancy between computed and "actual" 18$-23$/bale
I'm finding silage is harder on wheel rakes and as expected way more horsepower to bale Cant convince landlord to up
$/bale .... Uk doesn't have a " silage " bale just a 1500lb hay bale ... Hoped you guys would have silage specific rates


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## Vol

Ok fellas.... chime in and give Whatnow a idea of what you are getting for 4x5 silage bales in the area just north of KY. I have been told by many that they really can't sell silage bales very well....mainly bale silage for their own use and convenience.

Regards, Mike


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## Whatnow

come on fellas family farm.. sister manages cattle horses... im the greasy one grain forage...

i understand its unhandy but in eastern us there has to be custom in line wrapping done


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## 8350HiTech

Maybe add $7 to the mow/rake/dry bale rate. Two extra for the baling and five for the inline wrapping. Of course, that's looking at it from the perspective here in southern PA where custom work is cheap due to extreme competition.


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## Widairy

Around here usually if one hires baling and wrapping from the same person they'll bale and wrap for 16 dollars a bale.


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## Tim/South

No wrapped green hay for sale here locally. The only ones making balage are feeding it. No one wants to pay for a bale that is 50% water.

One guy had a custom wrapping business for a year or so. He charged 5 per roll to wrap, 100 roll minimum.

A friend of mine from Mississippi said the wet hay fad had come and gone there. Everyone went back to making hay.


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## Vol

I tend to agree Tim.....it seems like the fad has come and gone here with just a few folks still wrapping and feeding them out themselves....of course if you live where you do not have really good drying temps, one might wrap more to get the hay out of the field.

Regards, Mike


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## Whatnow

Thanks for info 
It is all fed on farm .. We like the ability to same day bale and first cuttings aren't slowed by Mother Nature 
Also can keep gains up on grass finished calves year round 
I guess my question was too specific .. I mow rake bale silage for 18$/b wrapping separate.. mow rake bale hay 17/b
Are my numbers in line with others??


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## Swv.farmer

You are doing as good as some and better than most.


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## Tim/South

Whatnow said:


> Thanks for info
> It is all fed on farm .. We like the ability to same day bale and first cuttings aren't slowed by Mother Nature
> Also can keep gains up on grass finished calves year round
> I guess my question was too specific .. I mow rake bale silage for 18$/b wrapping separate.. mow rake bale hay 17/b
> Are my numbers in line with others??


What size silage bales are you making? Most here seem to be 4" tall. Those still weigh more than a 5" bale of dry hay. I tend to agree that the wear on equipment should be considered when making silage.

$17 to make a bale of hay is on the cheap side here.


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## IH 1586

I charge $9.25/bale 4x4 for baleage. Mowing and raking is by the hour.


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## Mf5612

we like the option of baleage.our ontario summers can b very humid for making dry hay.we charge $11 to bale,$21 per acre to mow.my son bought his own anderson in line wrapper and charges $7.25 for plastic and use of machine.he comes and stays w wrapper while the customer loads baleage.it works good for him as a part time gig while helping on our dairy farm. he has a great bunch of customers and now does close to 7000 bales a yr.


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## hillside hay

Looks like 18-23 it is. That's pretty much where I would be at. Keep in mind I can buy baleage at auction for around 15+-


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## endrow

With the rainy weather here all year baleage has come up some in price they say at auction 4x4 of good quality Dairy hay made at 40 to 55% moisture are starting to bring over 50 bucks a piece. The previous question was about 4 x 5 and here no one makes wet hay that big it gets too heavy


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## endrow

Vol said:


> I tend to agree Tim.....it seems like the fad has come and gone here with just a few folks still wrapping and feeding them out themselves....of course if you live where you do not have really good drying temps, one might wrap more to get the hay out of the field.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Here every farm with forage has a pile of wrapped hay. Not really a fad here , survival , after a damp and dreary spring most of April& May . Followed by heavy rain every1 to 2 days From 7/15/18 till 11/24/18.


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## hillside hay

endrow said:


> Here every farm with forage has a pile of wrapped hay. Not really a fad here , survival , after a damp and dreary spring most of April& May . Followed by heavy rain every1 to 2 days From 7/15/18 till 11/24/18.


If you could even get on the fields.


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## OhioHay

Lots of baleage made around here every year and even more this year.


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