Wrapping Hay Bales

[PROFarms]

Hi guys,
Ive had a question in my mind for a long time and keep getting conflicting answers. I was wondering if anyone wraps bales of hay so that they can be stored outside. I know that haylage gets wrapped and is ok to be stored outside but the thing is we only have 4 ponies and i wouldn't have though that they can get through a 800lb+ bale before it would go mouldy so i was wondering if we could either just wrap the hay bale to store outside or otherwise would it be possible to just make drier haylage - my guess is that if its a bit drier then it won't go mouldy as quickly?
Thanks in advance

 

[MattLynch]

You can wrap dry hay no problem, a lot of people here buy wrapped hay when they don't have enough animals for silage or haylage. It's not a good idea to make dryer haylage, I think when you get under 30% moisture it won't ferment and you will get mold.

 

[Ed of all trades]

The main reason that wrapping is not common practice is $$$. It does not pay a farmer to spend $$$ to wrap cheaper hay but it will work, Ed

 

[Navasot]

Why not just buy good quality dry hay? You can stack it outside no problem without being wrapped..

 

[PROFarms]

Why not just buy good quality dry hay? You can stack it outside no problem without being wrapped..

We can make the hay ourselves so would be pointless to buy in more. It's inly that this year we stored it outside and had so much that rotted we wasted a load.

 

[cmyoung2]

For a small number of round bales, just store them off the ground-pallets, old tires, gravel- anything to break the ground contact, then cover with a tarp. Most of the moisture damage is from ground moisture, tarps are easy and cheap for just a few bales. We actually use a chainsaw to cut the bale in sections so we can hand feed the horses, goats and sheep so they don't waste as much. I was feeding 4-8 bales a winter like this, easy, little waste, hay stayed dry until needed.