The neighbor thats baling our hay this year mowed a 20 acre field yesterday. He was done by 2pm. It was a beautiful warm day around 80 with lots of sunshine. Today while we were at church he baled about 15 acres of it, raked a few more into rows and left the rest laying. I haven't had a chance to talk to him but this seems kinda quick to be baling to me. I've never baled any myself but we have been having ours baled by others for many years and I can't recall anyone ever baling the day after cuting before. He does cut with a New Holland conditioner or haybine, whatever it is called where you live. My reason for asking is that we are doing a 50/50 split on the hay and I get first pick of the rolls. Since I don't have any way to check the moisture content I'm thinking of letting him have these. I've got another 65 acres to be baled yet and I'm thinking about telling him I want mine to age a litle longer before baling. What do y'all think?
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1982vett
Well-known member
Does sound a bit quick. Raking and quitting, unless he broke down, says to me he tried but finally gave up. We have cut one day and baled the next, but it is usually in thin or drought stressed hay that is half dry when cut. Oh it is usually already H-O-T too. Look at them tomorrow and see how much they are squatting or leaning. Unmistakable tell if it was baled green.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
Since I am only about 75 miles from you our weather is mostly the same. I cut friday, tedded saturday and rolled today. It was dry but not by much. Get the next cutting when you are sure it is dry.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
Only grass I've ever been able to put up in two days is Tift 44. It dries fast especially if it was conditioned. Other than that I don't know how you could get it dry. Odds are they will be squatting down in the field today like Vette said.
grannysoo
Well-known member
I've done a real thin stand of bermuda grass from one day to the next, but it was really thin. It was cut early in the morning and baled late the next evening. It was also 100+ degrees and did not even get tedded/fluffed it was so thin.
He has probably put up some wet hay. Check it out late this evening to see if it is steaming or hot.
He has probably put up some wet hay. Check it out late this evening to see if it is steaming or hot.
ga. prime
Well-known member
I've baled and/or had baled hundreds probably thousands of rolls of coastal bermuda the day after cutting at yields of 4-5 rolls/ac. Works fine for me.
We got 1.6" of rain Thurs/Fri, I cut 25 acres Saturday starting at noon. Wife tedded it Sunday morning, had planned on baling it today (Monday). Was hauling hay at 4pm when she called to say we could start baling, we rolled 15 acres last night, will do the rest this afternoon if it doesn't rain. It was mostly fescue, may have been a tad heavy but not enough to hurt anything.
Give it a day or so and go shove on the rolls and feel if they're getting hot.
Give it a day or so and go shove on the rolls and feel if they're getting hot.
mnmtranching
Well-known member
All depends on the hay. We can cut one day and bale the next often. Late cuttings and dry weather only. If the hay is green and lush, NO! way. It will heat, mold and the bales will squat. Still makes feed, better to get the moisture down before baling.
Thanks all. I got to thinking about this today and maybe he is gonna wrap it for haylege (sp). He had some that he did last year. I still haven't had a chance to talk to him yet or check the rolls. I'm gonna do both tomorrow after work. Still I believe I'll let him have this field and tell him to leave mine on the ground an extra day.
