Hay is Stressful

[dun]

There are pluses to waiting until fescue is past ready to bale. Most of the seeds will fall as it's cut so you end up with less endophyte in the hay another would be that the field would get reseeded.

That is what I keep telling myself Dun. I got a 13 acre field that needs to be baled, but our guy just has not had the chance since we have so much rain! But I will NEVER complain about the rain again after the drought of 2011!!! Bring on the rain, I can supplement the hay in the winter with a protein tub if I need to!

We've got about 40 acres that is the most lush hay I've seen in 15 years. Have another 25 acres that I'm thinking of baling if we ever get started. I usually just graze that field but it's going to be way ahead of the cows.

 

[John SD]

It will be 3 weeks before any hay is cut here, but with the recent precip it looks like getting the baler out of the shed will be worth it

 

[B&M Farms]

The hay will be low quality here but it looks like plenty of it once it dries up a little.
Might get some good hay on the second cutting.

 

[skyhightree1]

you dont cut till you have 5 to 7 days clear.that allows the hay to get dry before its baled.

no hay would ever be cut here if we waited for that

 

[LauraleesFarm]

We are in the same boat, pardon the pun!

Have over 100 acres sitting waiting maturing and laying over. Better than the drought.

I was wondering today if I could hire someone to silage it.....

 

[highgrit]

Anyone ever try the Hay Master nutritional system? I've seen there ads and also talked to a rep at the Ag expo. Sounded pretty good, imagine that.

 

[bball]

usually have first cutting done by Memorial day. Didnt happen this year. I usually wait for a string of five days, with 30% chance or less. Thats my cutoff. Hasnt been warm enough here to even think about laying some down. Only way it would go would be to wrap the bales. Great feed that way, but sure drives up the cost and the cattle inhale it.

 

[kenny thomas]

It so odd that you are having so much rain an we have none. I could have cut hay any day since May 1 and rolled it in 3 days tops. I do have good hay but most hay here is not very good. I can sell every roll can get but might just hold it and buy cows if it stays dry.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

I would mow on Wed. and try to get it up on Friday. Around here if you try to work around those thunder showers it will be the end of August before first cutting will be finished. I always get a little wet mowing like this, but I get up quite a bit of good quality hay too. I figure some wet is better than all my hay being over mature.

 

[highgrit]

Working hay is no different than painting. If you wait for rain, it will rain.

 

[Big Cheese]

We are in the same boat here. To wet to get in the hay meadows and its still raining. I'm not ever going to complain about rain....but a little drying out would help a little. We are going to start spot cutting on the hills in our meadows so that we don't lose all of our first cuttings. All of our spring grass is dying.....but its being replaced by bermuda. So eventually we will have some pretty good hay.

 

[fitz]

you dont cut till you have 5 to 7 days clear.that allows the hay to get dry before its baled.

no hay would ever be cut here if we waited for that

I pulled off hay two days due to the forecast of 60 - 80% chance of precip. No rain. Started mowing again yesterday with 60% chance of thunderstorms. Got home and they had chanced it to 20% chance. If it gets wet, it gets wet. We can use the rain. If it's raining on the hay hopefully it's raining on the pasture.
I need to finish at this location and move the equip. about three miles. If I keep waiting on the weatherman's predictions the grass will be brown.

 

[John SD]

Do any of you use a spray-on chemical preservative that allows you to bale with higher moisture content :?: I've seen it advertised, but don't know anyone who uses it. IMO, looks like just another expense and aggravation to mess with :idea:

 

[inyati13]

Things have deteriorated. Now rain forecast for as far as the eye can see. No one around here is taking a chance. Hay is mature and some is going down in the winds. Some of the big producers are in trouble if we don't get a sunny 3 day window somewhere. Days are overcast and cloudy. Heavy fog this morning.

 

[Dave]

That is why a lot of people went to making haylage here. All you need is a good wilt on the grass and bale away. It is pretty tough to get a reliable 3 day window of dry weather until after the 4th of July. By that time you are baling straw. And the cows really love that haylage. It just takes some getting used to when feeding it. I have got to the point where I don't look at it or smell it when feeding because it can be some pretty nasty stuff.

 

[bigbull338]

if we was cutting hay now it would be washed away by the rain.or windrowed and burned.so we wait till we have clear weather to cut hay.i talked to 1 custom baler that had a 500acs in meadows to bale.they was going to cut when it gets dry enough.