Silage bales

Don't know anything about silage, other than some bales
I bought many years back and fed as I bought them.

Got a neighbor who sold all his cows. Offering to sell me Sudan grass silage bales.
But I really wasn't looking to buy for this year, looking to feeding next winter.

Bales were wrapped with an inline wrapper, so ends are not sealed.
I'm thinking if I did buy some, it would have to be with the understanding I kept them at his place sealed up until needed.

Would silage even keep until next winter? From what I've read in extension articles,
the answer is no. But I'm asking you guys.

With the late spring we're having, probably be feeding hay at least through the middle of May.
Maybe I'll just buy enough to feed out now and save my dry hay for next year.

With fertilizer prices, I've been buying some net wrapped bales against next winter.
May buy more. But I have no experience with silage.

Thoughts?

Thanks

Silage bales keep very well in cold weather not so well in warm weather. I doubt they would keep over the summer, I know they should but it doesn't take much of hole to start the damage. Buy and feed now.

I have no experience with silage bags. But we used to fill an upright Silo every other year for our cows in the winter. When we started feeding the second year on The Silo it in the fall we would just skim off The top a foot or so and it would still be good underneth.

Hi Fred. I made something like 2000 silage bales last summer, all in-line wrapped. These are the things to consider, how wet were the bales/ how high was the moisture content when baled? The lower the moisture content, I find the longer they keep, but there needs to be enough moisture for the feed to ferment. Second point is how well were the bales wrapped ? Did the guy put on a good coat of plastic, or did he try to cheap out? With a good coat of plastic, naturally it will be less likely to allow air to get into the bale. I have had bales to carry over up to 18 months after I made them, with no problem. And yes, you will absolutely have to leave the line of bales at the other guys place, and bring home only a few days worth at one time. Once the seal is broken they can start to heat within a week, again depending on the moisture and how tightly the bale was formed. Point three, did the farmer get the bales wrapped promptly after they were baled? Wet bales keep the best if wrapped within 24 hours of being baled. So if the bales didnt get wrapped for 2-3 days after baling, good chance they could have layers of mould inside. I will be feeding bales I made last spring right through this fall, and I never have had a problem. I had individual wrapped bales that got to be two years old, and were still just fine.

I agree with Bruce on the possible condition and issues. If you bought them I would feed them and save my dry hay. Depending on the moisture you may still be getting enough dry matter without adding dry hay.