How to Store Wrapped Bales Correctly So They Last 12+ Months

A correctly wrapped haylage or silage bale stays stable for over 12 months — but only as long as the film stays intact. The entire anaerobic fermentation technology rests on one thing: the absence of oxygen. A single unrepaired hole turns a good bale into a moldy one within days. Storage isn't a detail; it's half the quality you get at feed-out.

Where to place the bales

The storage spot matters more than most people think:

• A flat, clean, firm surface — concrete, compacted gravel, or clean packed earth. Avoid bumps that put point pressure on the film.
• Never on stubble — the stem stumps left after harvest are as sharp as nails and puncture the film underneath, exactly where you can't see.
• Away from sharp objects — wire, metal scrap, splintered wood. One forgotten nail in the grass is enough.
• With drainage — standing water under bales doesn't damage film directly, but it sustains an environment where rodents dig and reach the film.

What destroys film — and how to prevent it

Rodents and birds are the main enemy of film in long-term storage. Mice gnaw the film to reach the sweet fermented forage; crows peck at it out of curiosity. Keep the area clear of debris that attracts rodents, and periodically check the bottom and sides, where the first holes appear.

Sun and frost — UV film withstands whole seasons, but incorrectly stacked bales can deform, and film thins at the folds. Don't stack higher than common sense dictates for the bale type.

How to patch a hole (and when it's worth it)

A small hole, caught in time, is patched in two minutes and saves the whole bale:

1. Clean and dry the area around the hole.
2. Apply dedicated agricultural film tape (available at any farm supply store) — not ordinary adhesive tape, which peels off in damp conditions.
3. Cover generously, overlapping onto the healthy film all around.

If the hole has been open for a while and you smell mold or see a patch in that area, check the interior on opening: the locally affected portion is removed, and the rest of the bale is usually fine if the base fermentation was healthy.

How long a bale lasts once opened

Once the film is cut, the forage contacts oxygen and starts to degrade:

• Summer: use it within 3–5 days.
• Winter: 5–7 days.

That's why a ~500 kg bale suits herds of roughly 15–20 head and up — it's consumed before it can spoil. For smaller herds, talk to us about the right format.

A word on responsibility

At delivery, you check film integrity and bale count before unloading — any issue is reported on the spot, with photos, before the goods come off the truck. Once the goods are unloaded and received, correct storage becomes your responsibility. That's why it pays to prepare the spot before the truck arrives.

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