T.J. Adkins
Forage may be stored for winter feeding when pasture production is limited, for use in confinement feeding systems, or for cash hay. Dry hay is the most popular storage method since it stores well for long periods and is better suited for cash sale and shipping than high moisture forages. However, silage may be more suitable in situations where hay curing is difficult.
Storing wet forage, as baleage, will allow more timely harvest and less leaf shatter loss, resulting in consistently higher quality. Baled silage retains initial protein and in vitro digestibility levels of the fresh forage better than the field-cured hay. Field-cured hay declines significantly in digestibility and has larger dry matter loss as compared to baled silage.