Tracks May Reduce Wasted Hay
Deep tire track ruts on pasture are typically not a good thing, but they can be used to reduce hay loss, says David Dugan, an Ohio State University extension educator and beef producer. Ideally he stores his net-wrapped round bales in a barn, but in 2013 he lined up excess bales outside in a long row.
“Over the winter months I cut tracks (when removing the bales) and never worked it down. When I went to stack bales again this year I saw that I was putting them on an elevated area,” Dugan explains.
Water runs off the bale sides and into the tire tracks instead of under the bale.
“It won’t completely eliminate waste on the bottoms of the bales, but hopefully it will greatly reduce it,” he says.
Dugan will know more after this winter. If it makes a big difference, he is considering lining the tracks with a permeable landscape fabric topped with gravel. That will prevent erosion, yet allow water to filter through away from the bales.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, David Dugan, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, 325 W. State St., Bldg. B, Georgetown, Ohio 45121 (ph 937 515-2314; dugan46@osu.edu.)
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Tracks May Reduce Wasted Hay BALE HANDLING Deep tire track ruts on pasture are typically not a good thing but they can be used to reduce hay loss says David Dugan an Ohio State University extension educator and beef producer Ideally he stores his net-wrapped round bales in a barn but in 2013 he lined up excess bales outside in a long row “Over the winter months I cut tracks when removing the bales and never worked it down When I went to stack bales again this year I saw that I was putting them on an elevated area ” Dugan explains Water runs off the bale sides and into the tire tracks instead of under the bale “It won’t completely eliminate waste on the bottoms of the bales but hopefully it will greatly reduce it ” he says Dugan will know more after this winter If it makes a big difference he is considering lining the tracks with a permeable landscape fabric topped with gravel That will prevent erosion yet allow water to filter through away from the bales Contact: FARM SHOW Followup David Dugan College of Food Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Ohio State University Extension 325 W State St Bldg B Georgetown Ohio 45121 ph 937 515-2314; dugan46@osu edu
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