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Plastic Wrapping Square Bales to Preserve Wet Hay Dan Undersander, Tim Wood University of Wisconsin William Foster Consultant

Medium square (800 to 1000 lb) bales need to have 2 to 3% less moisture at baling than small square bales to avoid molding.

Research Studies Three plastic wrapping studies: 1) wrapped bales at 21 to 40 % moisture 2) wrapped bales with 0, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, or 10 ml wrappings using either 1.0 or 1.5 ml thickness plastic 3) wrapped bales (at either 36 or 63% moi) at 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 96 hrs after baling

Bale Wrapping Research Conducted at UW Lancaster Research Station  during 1997 and 1998 Used bales 34 by 32 by 60 inches Measured forage quality at baling and after storage Measured bale temperature for 3 weeks

"Effect of Moisture Content at..." Effect of Moisture Content at Baling of Plastic Wrapped Bales on Forage Quality Moisture Content       Unwrapped    Wrapped Jul 97   Nov 97 Jul 97  Nov 97 21% moisture 21.9      13.4 22.9     18.0 28% moisture 28.6      14.3 28.9     23.7 38% moisture 35.8      14.6 38.5     34.7 Lancaster, WI 1997

"Effect of Moisture Content at..." Effect of Moisture Content at Baling of Plastic Wrapped Bales on Forage Quality Acid Detergent Fiber       Unwrapped    Wrapped Jul 97   Nov 97 Jul 97  Nov 97 21% moisture 31.9      29.2 28.7     26.5 28% moisture 29.7      29.2 27.9     24.7 38% moisture 29.4      32.4 28.9     24.8 Lancaster, WI 1997

"Effect of Moisture Content at..." Effect of Moisture Content at Baling of Plastic Wrapped Bales on Forage Quality Crude Protein       Unwrapped    Wrapped Jul 97   Nov 97 Jul 97  Nov 97 21% moisture 19.3      22.6 18.8     20.8 28% moisture 20.2      24.2 20.2     22.1 38% moisture 18.6      22.9 18.3     20.6 Lancaster, WI 1997

"Effect of Moisture Content at..." Effect of Moisture Content at Baling of Plastic Wrapped Bales on Forage Quality ADF Insoluble Nitrogen       Unwrapped    Wrapped Jul 97   Nov 97 Jul 97  Nov 97 21% moisture 0.65      0.87 0.56     0.64 28% moisture 0.77      0.97 0.70     0.63 38% moisture 0.69      1.07 0.67     0.51 Lancaster, WI 1997

Summary Plastic wrapping medium bales at 21 to 38% moisture adequately preserved them some browning but no increase in ADF-CP some white surface mold but no interior mold

Study 2: Effect of plastic wrap thickness on bale preservation

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Summary Total plastic thickness appeared to be more important than wrapping number no forage quality difference with 4 mls or more plastic temperature elevated with less than 6 mls plastic 8 mls recommended due to tearing

Study 3: Effect of time of wrapping after baling

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Summary Wrapping bales later than 24 hours after baling is not recommended higher bale temperatures at wrapping higher ADF-CP visually more brown and increased spoilage

Summary Plastic wrapping medium bales at 21 to 38% moisture adequately preserved them some browning but no increase in ADF-CP some white surface mold but no interior mold

Summary Plastic wrapping medium bales at 21 to 38% moisture adequately preserved them Total plastic thickness appeared to be more important than wrapping number no forage quality difference with 4 mls or more plastic temperature elevated with less than 6 mls plastic 8 mls recommended due to tearing

Summary Plastic wrapping medium bales at 21 to 38% moisture adequately preserved them Total plastic thickness appeared to be more important than wrapping number Wrapping bales later than 24 hours after baling is not recommended higher bale temperatures at wrapping higher ADF-CP visually more brown and increased spoilage

Summary Plastic wrapping medium bales at 21 to 38% moisture adequately preserved them Total plastic thickness appeared to be more important than wrapping number Wrapping bales later than 24 hours after baling is not recommended