Delaying the removal of round bales can be harmful

By Gary Sliworsky
Ag. Rep.

While driving around the district in the past few weeks I have seen that round bales are often still sitting where they were dropped by the baler.
If you are planning a second cut or wish to keep a strong stand for future years, delaying removal of these bales can be harmful.
Plants underneath are often killed if covered for more than a week or two, providing a great starting place for weeds to grow.
Most of the damage, however, is due to wheel traffic on the regrowth. Studies show that when fields are dry, plants driven on before regrowth occurs yield about 5-7% less at the next cutting.
Even worse was waiting awhile to remove those bales. Just seven days after cutting, when regrowth shoots had started to grow, yield in the affected areas was reduced by more than 25% and survival of these plants also was less.
Worst of all is removing bales when fields are wet, as wheel traffic causes much more compaction, with yield loss typically exceeding 30% in the affected areas.
These studies emphasize the benefits of baling and removing bales from hay fields as quickly as possible after cutting, as well as minimizing driving on wet soils. They also suggest that following the same trail when removing bales or stacks from fields can reduce losses from wheel tracks by limiting the total area damaged.
Hay fields must be driven on, of course, to remove bales after harvest. But you can lessen damage by controlling where, when and how often you drive.

Dates to Remember

•·Sept. 6, 7, 8 – Dr. Stacey will be in the area. Call 204-326-3955 to book an appointment.

•·Sept. 8 – Cattle Sale, Stratton Sales Yard