Hay + Stacking Optimization
Montana Bale Wrapping | Baleage
What is baleage?
Baleage is the product of hay baled at high moisture and then wrapped in plastic to exclude oxygen. This causes fermentation to occur resulting in a high quality haylage feed product that can be fed like regular hay.
Why Baleage?
Improved Quality of Feed
Feed value of hay begins to deteriorate the moment it is cut, and continues until it is no longer fit to feed. Rain, snow, and humidity in the air degrade protein, vitamin and mineral content of the feed.
The baleage process seals in nutrients while fermentation increases the feed quality and palatability. It also provides cattle with much needed dietary moisture in the winter.
Time Savings
Baleage is made at 50% moisture allowing the producer to cut and bale the same day. Stop waiting on the weather!
Increased Quantity of Feed
Harvest loss of cured hay is about 20%. Storage and feeding loss is conservatively 10%. There is no loss of leaves during harvest or storage degradation with baleage.
Same day baling and cutting allow irrigation to resume immediately, allowing many producers to get an additional cutting per year. No longer do you have to watch your first and last cuttings get ruined by rain or snow!
Preservation of Feed
Plastic wrapped baleage retains it's feed quality for 2-3 years. Unwrapped 2 year old hay is barely fit for bedding.
