How to ensure safe and quality baleage

What a difference a week can make. Hundreds more acres of corn and beans have been planted here in Coshocton County this week. And first cuttings of hay are down and baled all over the county. A lot of these bales are being made as baleage, or baled silage.

According to University of Kentucky Extension forage specialists, baling forage at higher moisture levels than what is required for dry hay offers some important nutritional and management advantages. A small grain crop like wheat, rye or oats can be harvested at a moisture level of 40 to 60 percent, compared to the 15 to 18 percent range that would be needed for dry hay. The higher moisture levels support the growth of microorganisms which will spoil the hay.

Once the bales are wrapped in plastic, the forage goes through a fermentation process. This means that the bacteria that thrive in environments without oxygen, anaerobic bacteria, will eat some of the carbohydrates and convert them to lactic acid. The lactic acid lowers the pH of the environment, which prohibits the growth of harmful bacteria. The most important of these being Clostridium botulinum, which releases a toxin that causes botulism.

The Clostridial family of bacteria can be found everywhere in soil, but they are only a safety concern for us and our livestock when we put them into an environment without oxygen. It is the same reason it is critical to can human foods properly. Remember the horrible case of botulism near Lancaster last year from potato salad made with improperly canned potatoes? The principle is the same with making baleage. To eliminate Clostridial bacteria in an anaerobic environment, we must either increase the heat greatly or lower the pH. In order to maintain the nutritional quality of forages, the only option is to lower the pH.

My OSU Extension colleague, Rory Lewandowski in Wayne County, offers come great advice for farmers to ensure safe and quality baleage. He warns to be very cautious of feeding small grain baleage with a pH of 5.5 or higher. If the baleage has a putrid or ammonia smell to it, this should serve as another warning sign for potential botulism. Producers may wish to test the pH of any baleage which is suspect. Electronic hand-held pH meters can be purchased from ag supply catalog stores such as Nasco or Gemplers.

Excluding air and getting a dense, tightly packed bale is another important step to get good forage fermentation and to produce a safe, quality baleage product. As rye, wheat and oats mature this becomes more difficult because fiber content increases and the plants are not as pliable. Bales should be wrapped as quickly as possible. A good goal is to wrap within 2 hours of baling, but certainly no later than 8 to 10 hours after baling. There is quite a lot of research that indicates a minimum of four layers of 1 mil plastic is needed to get a good seal on the bale. The plastic should be UV resistant. If bales are going to be stored for long term (greater than 6 months) applying six layers of plastic is recommended.

For more information on baleage, you can visit our website at Coshocton.osu.edu. Enjoy your holiday weekend and extend a heartfelt thank-you to our military men and women who serve our country.

Emily Adams is the OSU Extension educator for Coshocton County. She can be reached at 740-622-2265 or adams.661@osu.edu.