How to Cut, Bale, and Store Hay
Check your machinery approximately one month before you plan to start haying., Cut your hay when the leaves have developed fully and the seed heads have not fully developed., Wait until you have at least three days of dry weather to cut your hay...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Check your machinery approximately one month before you plan to start haying.
Delays in harvest due to broken parts or inadequate equipment can result in a late harvest or improperly dried hay.
If there are legumes, such as alfalfa and clover, in your hay field, you may need to harvest slightly earlier, when they are at 10 to 20 percent of full flower. -
Step 2: Cut your hay when the leaves have developed fully and the seed heads have not fully developed.
This is the point when the hay will offer the best nutrition for your animals.Cutting the hay too early will result in lower yields.
Cutting the hay too late will result in lower nutritive content, because the plant has begun focusing on seed production., It takes this amount of time to cure dry hay for baling and rain interrupts this process.
There is usually a two-week window in which hay is in the perfect stage for cutting., Generally the size of your land determines which of these pieces of equipment you will need, in order of smallest to largest machinery and investment. , A hay tedder is a tractor attachment or piece of machinery that aerates the hay.
It spreads it out so light and heat can dry the hay out.
A tedder and rake is often the same piece of equipment. , Turning the hay with your tedder or rake will cause some quality loss, because the seeds and grass will fall through the hay onto the pasture.
Only turn it according to what is necessary to cure it in your climate.
If it rains, you may need to turn the hay an additional time to ensure it is dry before storing. , It should be brittle and crisp, but not too easy to shatter in your hand.
Baling the hay too early can result in spoilage, mold and even spontaneous combustion in your stacked bales.
For an easy test, twist several stalks of mown grass, place it in a dry box with several tsp. of alt.
Shake the container for one minute and if the salt remains dry, it is ready to bale.For a scientific approach, purchase an electronic moisture tester at your local farm supply store or from a catalog.
It should be below 22 percent moisture, usually baled at 15 to 18 percent moisture content.
Hay that is too dry will result in extra breakage and lower quality of hay in bales. , Most balers need a wider windrow than the traditional mower can offer.
You will get the densest bale with the highest quality hay by ensuring the windrow is sufficiently large for your baler. , In this case, you may be able to store the small bales inside a barn to preserve it. , They can sometimes be pickier than cows or horses and consume the hay slowly. , You may be able to sell bales to horse owners, pet shops or people with small herds of cattle. , The baling of hay can be mechanized with a large baler, saving you time.
These balers require a significant amount of investment in equipment.
Large circular bales will also reduce the time it takes to feed.
They are larger than square bales, so you will need to roll out a smaller number of them to feed your livestock. , You can cover the hay with tarps, wrap it partially while you bale or arrange it in a stack so that water can pour off the top to avoid spoilage. , Round bales are denser and more likely to combust if baled when wet. , You will eliminate wear on your baler and pick up less dirt. , You will have less pickup loss if the tines float at the same level and the hay lifts and flows into the bale chamber.
You may need to drive more quickly with a round baler to reduce chamber loss. , You want to check for width, density and chamber/pickup loss.
Adjust the settings as needed to improve the quality of the bale., Large round bales require larger machinery to lift and stack them. , It reduces the matter loss to two to ten percent. , Elevating the hay can reduce matter loss by up to 15 percent. , This may be even more important if you live in a wet climate. , Some of the water may pour off the top and get trapped in the earth below, resulting in matter loss at the bottom. -
Step 3: Wait until you have at least three days of dry weather to cut your hay.
-
Step 4: Cut your pasture with a sickle mower
-
Step 5: sickle haybine or rotary disk mower.
-
Step 6: Start tedding the hay the day within a day of cutting.
-
Step 7: Turn the hay one to three times over the next three days.
-
Step 8: Test the hay frequently to see what its internal moisture content is.
-
Step 9: Rake the hay together in large windrows.
-
Step 10: Consider a small square baler if you have a small operation.
-
Step 11: Use square bales if you keep goats and sheep.
-
Step 12: Pick small square bales if you want to market your hay to small livestock operations.
-
Step 13: Opt for large circular bales if you have a large farming and ranching operation.
-
Step 14: Choose circular bales if you must store the hay outside.
-
Step 15: Go for large circular bales only if you are able to cure the hay correctly.
-
Step 16: Position your baler pick-up tines approximately one inch (2.5 cm) above the ground.
-
Step 17: Operate your baler at a consistent and moderate speed.
-
Step 18: Check your baler after you do one to two bales.
-
Step 19: Leave the bales in the field to be picked up later or load them as you bale.
-
Step 20: Store your hay under a roof if possible.
-
Step 21: Try to elevate your hay on a platform instead of placing it directly on the ground.
-
Step 22: Cover your hay in a bale sleeve or plastic wrap to reduce loss further.
-
Step 23: Cover your haystacks with tarps to decrease matter loss by up to 15 percent.
Detailed Guide
Delays in harvest due to broken parts or inadequate equipment can result in a late harvest or improperly dried hay.
If there are legumes, such as alfalfa and clover, in your hay field, you may need to harvest slightly earlier, when they are at 10 to 20 percent of full flower.
This is the point when the hay will offer the best nutrition for your animals.Cutting the hay too early will result in lower yields.
Cutting the hay too late will result in lower nutritive content, because the plant has begun focusing on seed production., It takes this amount of time to cure dry hay for baling and rain interrupts this process.
There is usually a two-week window in which hay is in the perfect stage for cutting., Generally the size of your land determines which of these pieces of equipment you will need, in order of smallest to largest machinery and investment. , A hay tedder is a tractor attachment or piece of machinery that aerates the hay.
It spreads it out so light and heat can dry the hay out.
A tedder and rake is often the same piece of equipment. , Turning the hay with your tedder or rake will cause some quality loss, because the seeds and grass will fall through the hay onto the pasture.
Only turn it according to what is necessary to cure it in your climate.
If it rains, you may need to turn the hay an additional time to ensure it is dry before storing. , It should be brittle and crisp, but not too easy to shatter in your hand.
Baling the hay too early can result in spoilage, mold and even spontaneous combustion in your stacked bales.
For an easy test, twist several stalks of mown grass, place it in a dry box with several tsp. of alt.
Shake the container for one minute and if the salt remains dry, it is ready to bale.For a scientific approach, purchase an electronic moisture tester at your local farm supply store or from a catalog.
It should be below 22 percent moisture, usually baled at 15 to 18 percent moisture content.
Hay that is too dry will result in extra breakage and lower quality of hay in bales. , Most balers need a wider windrow than the traditional mower can offer.
You will get the densest bale with the highest quality hay by ensuring the windrow is sufficiently large for your baler. , In this case, you may be able to store the small bales inside a barn to preserve it. , They can sometimes be pickier than cows or horses and consume the hay slowly. , You may be able to sell bales to horse owners, pet shops or people with small herds of cattle. , The baling of hay can be mechanized with a large baler, saving you time.
These balers require a significant amount of investment in equipment.
Large circular bales will also reduce the time it takes to feed.
They are larger than square bales, so you will need to roll out a smaller number of them to feed your livestock. , You can cover the hay with tarps, wrap it partially while you bale or arrange it in a stack so that water can pour off the top to avoid spoilage. , Round bales are denser and more likely to combust if baled when wet. , You will eliminate wear on your baler and pick up less dirt. , You will have less pickup loss if the tines float at the same level and the hay lifts and flows into the bale chamber.
You may need to drive more quickly with a round baler to reduce chamber loss. , You want to check for width, density and chamber/pickup loss.
Adjust the settings as needed to improve the quality of the bale., Large round bales require larger machinery to lift and stack them. , It reduces the matter loss to two to ten percent. , Elevating the hay can reduce matter loss by up to 15 percent. , This may be even more important if you live in a wet climate. , Some of the water may pour off the top and get trapped in the earth below, resulting in matter loss at the bottom.
About the Author
Lisa Moore
Committed to making pet care accessible and understandable for everyone.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: