Balage vs Dry Hay Questions

I've been reading a bit regarding balage (wrapped round bales with a higher moisture content). Sounds like there are "silage special" round balers that somewhat chop hay as it comes into the baler and are able to handle the higher moisture content hay.



Is balage a better cow feed than dry hay? I suppose no one would feed it to a horse? Goats?



What is the typical moisture content of wrapped balage? Is balage marketable or does the fragility of the plastic wrap pretty much eliminate the logistics of selling wrapped bales? What is the typical crop for balage? Alfalfa, orchard grass, timothy, etc.?



Here's what I'm thinking. In my small operation with my boys, we are doing square bales - fine. However, I've still got the day job and sometimes stuff just gets in the way. Sometimes it would be nice to roll some dry round bales when time and/or labor is short and other times, the thunder showers and weather conditions just favor balage whereas if you were to wait it out, the quality of the square bales would suffer and you delay letting the field get on with growth for the next cutting.



So if you are primarily making squares for sale with a round baler for backup, I know there is a market for dry rounds, but what about wrapped bales - balage?



Thanks!

Bill



Balage vs Dry Hay Questions