Table of Contents
How long should hay sit before baling?
As a rule of thumb, wait to rake hay until after the dew has dried and the sun nears its peak, or around 11:00 am. If possible, let the raked hay sit for an hour or two before baling to allow more drying time.
Is hay ruined if it gets rained-on?
Rained-on hay often has relatively high protein values compared to fiber content unless there’s great leaf loss. Leaves contain a lot of the plant’s protein. As soluble carbohydrates leach, structural fibers make up a greater percent of forage dry matter. The digestibility of rained-on hay can decline 6 to 40 percent.
Can you feed hay straight off the field?
While traditionally hay is left to cure for a few weeks before feeding, if moisture content allows (dry matter in excess of 86%), it can be fed straight off the field.
Can hay dry in two days?
Subject: RE: How long does your hay lay to bale dry? Alfalfa swath and bale 4-5 days later depending on weather, sometimes 3 days sometimes 8 just depends. Grass swath 1 day bale the next, sometimes 2 days but not real often.
Can you cut and bale hay the same day?
In a trial at the University of Wisconsin Arlington Research Station (Figure 2) where alfalfa was put into a wide swath it reached 65 percent moisture in about eight hours and could be harvested for haylage the same day as cutting.
How do you keep hay from catching fire?
Another way to reduce the risk of a hay fire is to ensure that stored hay remains dry.
- When storing hay inside, make sure the barn or storage area is weathertight and has proper drainage to prevent water from entering the barn.
- When storing hay outside, cover the hay with plastic or another type of waterproof material.
Can you bale hay with dew on it?
To make good hay, enough moisture must be present to keep all the leaves intact. Too dry, and they shatter and fall off during the baling process. “This will make better hay – baling it with a bit of moisture on it, either from dew or from a very light rain shower,” says Thomas.
What is the correct moisture for baling hay?
18 to 22 percent
When hay is baled, it should not be higher than 18 to 22 percent moisture. At higher levels of moisture, bales lose large amounts of dry matter (Figure 1) caused by excessive heating and molding (Figure 2). In severe cases, spontaneous combustion is possible.
Can you Overdry hay?
At the other extreme, when using large bales, with some types of hay, you have to very careful baling anything over 15 percent moisture; even 18 percent may be much too high. Too dry, and they shatter and fall off during the baling process. Too wet, and hay will heat and mold.
Is it OK to feed horses fresh cut hay?
Any hay that has been properly cured and dried before being baled should be stable and can be fed as soon as needed. There are no nutritional advantages to storing hay for weeks or months prior to use.
How long do you let cut hay dry before baling?
Interviewer: The internet says to let it dry for two to three days. Is that incorrect? CowboyBenWade: Letting cut hay sit in your field for three days is a long time. All kinds of things can happen to it during that time, and some of those things might make it so the cows can’t eat it.
How long does it take to make hay from grass?
Make Hay in 4 Days or Less •Day 2 – Late Afternoon –Check moisture of drying forage swath by twisting or microwave oven techniques –If swath is nearly dry from final tedding, then MAKE WINDROW on to dry soil area. Plan to bale on day 3.
When to put your Hay on the ground?
Bottom line is – if the hay is ready put it on the ground. The last timing to consider is drying time. Making sure that the hay has reached the optimum moisture level will help avoid spoilage losses and reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion.
What should moisture content be for round bales of hay?
Moisture content for round bales is 15%, and square bales are 18%. Make sure to check this before baling and before storage to avoid fire hazard. So now you are all grown up and you have to make the decision as to when to cut the hay.