Oatlage

tri10 · May 15, 2020

I've planted just a small field of oats this year and looking to chop some of it off for oatlage later on, the rest I'll combine off. Bringing this up though for advice on how far to let it dry down before i chop it ? I've heard anything from letting it go to 65% moisture up to run the chopper behind the mower. It'll be stored in a small bunker style storage instead of a silo and I'll be chopping with an old FH83 Gehl chopper, just having some fun with the old stuff, thanks for any advice. Matt.

centash · May 15, 2020

I would cut it when it's fully headed out but before it starts to turn colour. Chop it the next day, or sooner, stored in an upright silo at 65 moisture should be ok, even if it heats a bit. It can start on fire if stored drier in a pit silo. Use a sickle mower, a haybine will shake out some heads unless it's greener and the rolls are opened up. Decent feed but it has a lot of bulk, so large volumes are needed to get the amount of dry matter to feed cattle

Ben

tomstractorsandtoys · May 15, 2020

I plan to make a 7x200 ft silage bag of oats this summer and then replant the same fields to oats again and get another 7x100 bag in late Nov. I have a direct cut head for on my chopper. It is an IH 550 with a seven ft mower bar head. Last fall we made a 7x150 with a Deere 12 chopper and a six ft head. It was bitter cold and I put a heat houser on the 4020 to try and stay warm. The summer oats will get cut right when the field just starts to change color and the fall oats need to some what freeze dried to get dry enough to bag. The winter feed is on the wet side but usually heats some so it does not freeze solid in the bags. Tom

Oatlage

tri10

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centash

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tomstractorsandtoys

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