All forage producers love it when they have an extra cutting or added tons per acre in a great weather year. As wise farmers say, you make hay when the sun shines. As a forage producer, you want to store that forage in an oxygen limited environment for fast fermentation and preserve nutrients. You also want forage to stay fresh, protected, and ready-to-feed when you need it. Ag-Bagging provides an opportunity to have unlimited forage storage for that extra feed or growing dairy or beef operation.
Our Ag-Bag customers share how Ag-Bagging has expanded their operation while keeping their labor and machinery investment low. Klink Dairy, located in Hartford, WI, milks 240-cows and has been Ag-Bagging their forages for over 21-years. Phil Klink, owner, discusses how he has been using Ag-Bags to manage his forage storage.
“We know we can put up a lot of feed fast using our Ag-Bagger. We do not need big equipment to pack the pile or bunker, and we do not need extra people driving around. Plus, I do not have the extra expense for the equipment too,” shared Klink. “We can protect our forage by waiting until it is ready to cut, and then have everything in place to preserve and protect that crop very quickly with no spoilage.”
When weather windows are tight, Klink Dairy knows they can continue to harvest longer by using an Ag-Bagger as well. “I know I can put forage in the bag wetter, so I can start harvesting sooner rather than letting the crop dry out in the field. Then, I can continue to harvest later, rather than stopping sooner to go and cover the bunkers up. When we are done harvesting, my forage is already covered in the bag,” said Klink.
Another Ag-Bag customer, Schraufnagel Farms, located in Lomira, WI, milk 120-cows with Lely robots, have used an Ag-Bagger to bag their forages for over 35-years. Their operation started with 2- bags, and over the years, they have added more cows and more bags. In addition, they have recently invested in a blacktop bag pad for a firm, clean surface to prevent ruts and forage waste.
“We have a good system with our forage bag pad. It is a solid surface to load off, and it cleans up really easy. It eliminates dirt and foreign material in our forage, and it is a firm solid surface to take the feed off when we are feeding it out,” shared Andy Schraufnagel, III, co-owner at Schraufnagel Farms.
Both dairies used rental Ag-Baggers from a nearby Ag-Bag dealer as they were growing their dairies. If you have a forage storage need, but do not want to buy an Ag-Bagger, rental or custom operators are a great solution. Many Ag-Bag Dealers have rental fleets that include everything from pull type to self-propelled Ag-Baggers for all size operations. Dealer locations can be found at https://ag-bag.com/dealer-locator/
When thinking about increasing your feed storage, if your operation has a location that is flat, well drained, and free of clutter, a forage bag can be stored. Concrete space from a bunker or pile can be used as well. Once you utilize an Ag-Bagger for extra storage, it is quite common to realize the value in Ag-Bagging compared to other methods. Ag-Bagging provides a great solution for adding forage storage to every forage operation.