Tarping round bales

bja105 · #1 07/29/14, 07:00 PM

I have my winter's hay, 20 round bales, sitting on pallets outside. This is good hay, net wrapped, and as much as it has been raining, I want to cover it. I don't know what I'll use, I might buy a tarp or used billboard, but also have a line on used rubber roofing. I also have junk tires to put on top, to old down the tarp.
The bales are in two parallel rows, touching. I can move them if needed. How should I cover them? Just the top, sides open? The bales are on a hill, so if I cover both rows with one tarp, the rain will run down hill in the "valley." Any advise?

I should have a few dry days next week to let them dry before covering.

bja105 · #2 07/29/14, 07:01 PM

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ksfarmer · #3 07/29/14, 07:15 PM

We never cover big rounds in this country, seldom enough rain to hurt. However, one bit of advice, don't set your bales so the sides of one row touch the next row. That spot is where the most spoilage will occur. And, I think any cover you put on will tend to develop leaks in the valley between rows, thus increasing the spoilage.. End to end is ok, but don't put them side by side touching.

bja105 · #4 07/29/14, 07:21 PM

We didn't tarp last year, but the rain this year has never stopped. Our renter still hasn't made first cut on one of our fields.

DaleK · #5 07/29/14, 09:11 PM

If you're going to tarp them take a few bales off the ends and put them on the top in the middle so the water all runs away

dizzy · #6 07/30/14, 08:27 PM

I've found that if you tarp it, unless the tarp does not touch the bales at all, you'll get mold.

secuono · #7 07/30/14, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dizzy

I've found that if you tarp it, unless the tarp does not touch the bales at all, you'll get mold.

Oh yea, this is true for loose hay and square bales. It needs air all the time or the water content in the hay, even if it is low, will cause the hay to mold where ever the hay touches a non-breatheable item.

So if you do tarp, add some to make a pyramid and then use some buckets to lift the tarp off the bales. But not sure how well you can make the buckets stay and snow not sink the tarp...

Kasota · #8 07/31/14, 06:33 AM

I'm with the "let them breathe" crowd. Times when I am tarped have not helped and in some cases actually caused more problems.

Ramblin Wreck · #9 07/31/14, 06:50 AM

I would not tarp either, but if you can budget for/build a shed to place it under, it helps. But in the end, a hungry cow will eat it either way. Good luck.

michiganfarmer · #10 07/31/14, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksfarmer

However, one bit of advice, don't set your bales so the sides of one row touch the next row. That spot is where the most spoilage will occur.

Exactly. DOnt let them touch

michiganfarmer · #11 07/31/14, 07:49 AM

THis is how we covered ours before dad built a pole barn to store them in.

michiganfarmer · #12 07/31/14, 07:49 AM

These are bale sleeves, cut in half

texican · #13 07/31/14, 10:48 AM

We don't tarp.... but we do when we're feeding em out (a round bale last a few weeks here at the house, feeding the goats...) we peel off hay and then put the tarp on, otherwise, with all the rain, there'd be continuous 'loss' on top. (not a real loss, as the rotten goes on the gardens and orchard). When it does rain, then the sun comes out, there's a lot of 'sweat' that still messes with the hay. Cannot think but a year round tarp would prevent em from breathing, and causing more or even complete damage.

Old timers have the best solution... put em under permanent tarps (some call em 'barns'

) Need to make room in my barn, just can't get around to it....

Pig in a poke · #14 07/31/14, 11:27 AM

I bought one of the largest tarps to cover several round bales, and yes, had some mold. I started uncovering the stack whenever the weather was dry and sunny and recovering, with the threat of rain. More work, but it halted the molding, and ultimately there was little wasted.

HuskyBoris · #15 07/31/14, 07:05 PM

I bought some round bales that had been outside for 3 years for 15 bucks a bale a couple years ago,,I figured they would be mostly junk for bedding or something but only about 6-10 inches were spoiled and the inside was pristine and dry as a bone.

DaleK · #16 07/31/14, 07:32 PM

Don't tarp the pile completely to the ground, if you leave the ends open most of the condensation will get out. You'll get mold if you try to close it too tightly. I've had up to 400 bales tarped in one stack with no mold but I left one end completely open and the tarp only went about 2/3 of the way down the bottom layer to let air in and out