Round Bale Storage Conservation

 

South Dakota has been one of the top producing forage states in the nation for many years. One of the most common methods of hay packaging and storage is large round bales stored outdoors. However, proper storage of a high quality product is vital to maintaining value and often overlooked. Quality losses that typically occur during storage are frequently a result of water that has entered the bale, which becomes entrapped and unable to evaporate, resulting in spoilage.

 

Round bales have characteristics that help limit storage losses. The round shape allows for a dense, well-made bale in which the outer thatch will help to shed precipitation, minimizing water penetration and spoilage loss.

 

Video: Adapting to ESA: Mitigation Overview

CropLife America’s “Adapting to ESA” instructional video series is designed to provide clear, field-ready guidance that supports responsible pesticide use while protecting endangered species and their habitats. This is part 1 of the four-part series moderated by Dr. Stanley Culpepper, a leading weed science specialist with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.

Part 2: Bulletins Live! Two
Part 3: Spray Drift
Part 4: Runoff

The video series is part of a new set of educational tools released by CropLife America (CLA), in partnership with the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) and the Council of Producers and Distributors of Agrotechnology (CPDA), to help farmers, agricultural retailers, and pesticide applicators better understand the Endangered Species Act (ESA).