There are 2 ways of preserving hay. One is to wrap the nearly dry hay. If the wrap remains intact, it will ferment and thereby improve the nutrition of the hay.

The second way is to wrap them right after the hay is cut while still green and let it ferment. They call this haylage (like silage).

The first 2 bales were the 1st kind, and we are afraid this one is the 2nd kind....