Hay Season 2018

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I'm guessing when they get done today, we should have about 450-500 bales. I generally need/want 550. We will put up dry 2nd cutting and put me over what I need for sure. I do not hay all of it 2nd cut. I graze a lot of it.
We have 400 done. Starting 5th row after next load. Put 100 to 110 in each row.

 

[skyhightree1]

I'm guessing when they get done today, we should have about 450-500 bales. I generally need/want 550. We will put up dry 2nd cutting and put me over what I need for sure. I do not hay all of it 2nd cut. I graze a lot of it.
We have 400 done. Starting 5th row after next load. Put 100 to 110 in each row.

oh ok gotcha :tiphat:

 

[Silver]

Nice straight rows with the wrapper, my rows never look like that. Maybe if my ground was more even.... but I doubt it!
Interesting looking bale mover, is it self loading? I can't tell by the pictures. That will be great feed for sure. Are those dry bales to start and finish the rows?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Sliver - the bale wagon has a hydraulic arm that picks up the bale, after you have two on, hydraulic ram pushes them back & load another two. You just drive around & line up the arm on the ground with the bale to be picked up. Drops you two lines so makes it real easy for skid steer to pick up & load onto wrapper.
I used left over last year baleage for ends. Dry bales are the best, but these are my junk July 1st cutting - good use for them, LOL. Cattle ate them, only thing they had all winter, but came thru winter pretty thin.

 

[Stocker Steve]

How does wrapping hay pencil out compared to the more traditional shed storage?

 

[ez14.]

How does wrapping hay pencil out compared to the more traditional shed storage?

Doesn't sound like there talking about dry hay

 

[skyhightree1]

How does wrapping hay pencil out compared to the more traditional shed storage?

I have wrapped but its a pain but it is nice leaving hay out that's wrapped especially if not every tractor on the farm has a loader. I liked leaving it in the field which is generally close to the pasture instead of loading and hauling it a few times when I cared about it not getting wet. Now I don't care and leave it out in the field lined up unless im selling it.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Wrapping quality varies with conditions and the number of wraps, but I do not think it is recommended for long term storage, especially wet. How long have you left it wrapped?

The dry hay folks here usually don't start haying until the third week of June. Tends to be rainy before that. This means grass is headed and legumes are in mid to late bloom. OK for beef cows, but not high test stuff. So I think much of the wrapping value lies in hay quality. What is the feed value difference in wet wrapped hay vs. rained on hay put into a shed?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

It is near impossible to get dry hay in June in NY (not impossible - especially if you have all the time in the world and have your own equipment - I only own a spear (two) on my tractor.
These weigh about 1325# - 1400#. I have NO indoor storage. I always have hay left from one year to the next. Feed it up first, but there is very little difference from yr old vs 2-yr old hay other than the 1st bale taken out of the row.
People that have the ability to wrap, even wrap their dry bales so that they keep better. I do not have my dry bales wrapped and they really keep super well with the net wrap on them. Top & sides may have "ugly" looking hay about 3/8" deep - which cattle readily eat - not wasted. Bottom depends on how long they are kept. Dry hay I am feeding now from last fall has maybe 4-6" just on bottom. I experimented and put some dry bales in a row on top of two lines of old fence posts. Bottoms were like stored indoors.
Last yr my expense paid to crew was $13.05/bale (July). Year before was $15.88/bale (June). Labor & equipment. We provided 1 of the 3 people required for job. Some of the cost per bale pencils out depending on yield per acre (mowing & raking). Put up 80 acres from 6-9 to 6-15. Shut down 1 day for baler bearing. Cleaned up everything & shut down for 1 day of expected rain day. So, basically 5 1/2 days of work. :banana:

 

[jltrent]

I got 127, 5x5 rolls, off 30 acres. I didn't think that was too bad.

Thst's about 4.2 rolls per acre. Does that sound about average for fescue/orchard grass?

That would be good hay turnoff as yesterday I baled 20 acres that made 95 5x5 rolls and it was pretty good grass. I had to give it an extra day to dry.

 

[jltrent]

Here's a good look at the wagon dumping the bales. So it takes about 12 minutes (or less) to wrap a load. Takes longer for the wagon to get back from the field. The got all the rest of my hay mowed yesterday, and will get it all cleaned up today.
Winter supply - DONE!!! (well, by later today!!)

Looking good... Winter supply done?

Nice setup.....

 

[ddd75]

Wrapping quality varies with conditions and the number of wraps, but I do not think it is recommended for long term storage, especially wet. How long have you left it wrapped?

The dry hay folks here usually don't start haying until the third week of June. Tends to be rainy before that. This means grass is headed and legumes are in mid to late bloom. OK for beef cows, but not high test stuff. So I think much of the wrapping value lies in hay quality. What is the feed value difference in wet wrapped hay vs. rained on hay put into a shed?

i've fed 2 yr old wrapped hay but it wasn't looking the best. Cows ate it up good though.


you can only get the quality you have, wrapped or not. It won't get better just because its wrapped, it'll just be more palatable to them if wrapped at correct moisture.

I bought some wrapped hay off a guy 2 years ago.. he must of wrapped every weed infested patch around.. it wasn't wrapped correctly and it had neon green, yellow and pink growing all over it.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I made a pit run gravel pad for outside storage. Noticeable improvement from working off clay soil. Have some emergency hay shedded. It can get to be 3 to 5 years old before it comes out.

I agree it is very hard to make good dry hay in June. I am experimenting with a couple paddocks where I graze about 50% off in late May and then dry hay them about July first.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

ddd "you can only get the quality you have, wrapped or not. It won't get better just because its wrapped, it'll just be more palatable to them if wrapped at correct moisture."
This is a good point. Whatever quality it is the day you cut it, is pretty much the quality going into the bale. You do not lose leaves like with dry hay management. Also, the weeds you bale, along with the hay, gets more palatable.

 

[skyhightree1]

Spent some time haying

 

[skyhightree1]

 

[ohiosteve]

Ive been doing a bunch of custom baling at work. It's been hard to get it dry this spring. Most of what I've been baling is around 20% moisture. Been using a lot of acid. Boss just got a new tractor. I like it. 310 hp. At home I bale with 39 hp.

 

[jltrent]

Spent some time haying




I like that hay rake......that looks like a Kuhn. Mine is a 1995 model and is pretty worn. I have looked at Vermeer and saw a Kuhn sell at auction. Both cost to much, but I need one.

 

[ez14.]

Ive been doing a bunch of custom baling at work. It's been hard to get it dry this spring. Most of what I've been baling is around 20% moisture. Been using a lot of acid. Boss just got a new tractor. I like it. 310 hp. At home I bale with 39 hp.

nice rig I should borrow it!

 

[ez14.]

What's the John Deere?