>Hi every one,
>
> A quick question about spontaneous combustion with hay. At what
>temperature do I need to worry about round bales of hay being stored in a
>building with some tough moisture spots which are heating up. Most of the
>hay is dry enough -- just a few high moisture spots. The bales are solid
>core orchard grass, 5' wide and are stacked vertical two high on solid
>wooden floor. The spots are F 135 degrees in the spots surrounded by F 85
>degree hay in the rest of the bale. It 5 days old.
>
> Thanks for your answer.
>
> Dennis Trissel
> Harrisonburg VA
> Triffel@aol.com
Head to your farm supply store and get some bags of loose salt, the kind
put in mineral feeders. Salt the bales down.
You don't say if these bales are big rounds, small squares or big squares.
Rounds and smalls do breathe. Big squares are too densely packed to
breathe and cure. I recommend using a preservative when big squares are
made. Avoiding mold that affects cattle performance is the main benefit.
Mold can negatively impact milk/meat production and rebreeding success.
If small squares, you can spread them out with the bales on edge (the
ragged sides where the stems are sticking out). Apply the salt on top of
that edge side. Salt draws the moisture out and there's no harm in your
cattle eating the extra salt, far better than eating moldly hay.
There are hay preservatives that can be applied as the windrow enters the
baler. Works very well in cases of hay that is a bit too green. And the
new chemistry doesn't eat up the metal on your baler.
Big rounds should be cured in a hay shed before being stacked for winter
feed storage. Most rounds breathe and cure well if you let them.
If you find that the rain goddess is determined to mess with making dry
hay, rent a tube wrapper and make baleage. Great feed, long fibered, and
you can bale green without the worry of burning a building down.
Dave Gneiser
WisCOWsin.
