Hay Making

[m5farm]

its been a pretty good hay year here. I'm a week late on my 3rd cutting and every day is chipping away at the 4th hopefully we get a 3 or 4 day window next week. The weather liars sure don't know what predict

[highgrit]

It's sure a nice problem to have. I'd like to be cutting hay also but looks to be another week before the weather might cooperates. I'd like to do some baleage and can't find anyone willing to come here and do it. Cutting one day and bailing the next sounds like something I need to try at this point.

[m5farm]

HG , I attended a Farm field day 2 yrs ago and Know the guy that custom bales Haylege , It has its place but I don't think you or I can feed that much hay in the winter to justify the cost. and the Nutrient levels are still the same as dry hay if cut and baled on time. 1. you got to have a baler that will handle the wet hay 2.the wrapper machine cost 3. you adding about 3 to 5 dollars a bale just in wrap cost . Its expensive. I would venture to say you need to be able to put up and feed 1000 bales a year for it to be beneficial.

We used to put up 1200 bales a yr to feed every winter , we tried the balege back in the 90's and it was an issue with spoilage because not enough people had done it in our area to learn the mistakes. The mice and hawks were constantly tearing holes in it.

[highgrit]

HG , I attended a Farm field day 2 yrs ago and Know the guy that custom bales Haylege , It has its place but I don't think you or I can feed that much hay in the winter to justify the cost. and the Nutrient levels are still the same as dry hay if cut and baled on time. 1. you got to have a baler that will handle the wet hay 2.the wrapper machine cost 3. you adding about 3 to 5 dollars a bale just in wrap cost . Its expensive. I would venture to say you need to be able to put up and feed 1000 bales a year for it to be beneficial.

We used to put up 1200 bales a yr to feed every winter , we tried the balege back in the 90's and it was an issue with spoilage because not enough people had done it in our area to learn the mistakes. The mice and hawks were constantly tearing holes in it.

Cutting hay at 8 - 10 weeks isn't what I want either, but it beats the alternative of having no hay to bale. At one of the hay and pasture classes we attended a speaker said if you use an inoculant you can start bailing hayledge right after you cut with no dry time at all.

[m5farm]

HG , I attended a Farm field day 2 yrs ago and Know the guy that custom bales Haylege , It has its place but I don't think you or I can feed that much hay in the winter to justify the cost. and the Nutrient levels are still the same as dry hay if cut and baled on time. 1. you got to have a baler that will handle the wet hay 2.the wrapper machine cost 3. you adding about 3 to 5 dollars a bale just in wrap cost . Its expensive. I would venture to say you need to be able to put up and feed 1000 bales a year for it to be beneficial.

We used to put up 1200 bales a yr to feed every winter , we tried the balege back in the 90's and it was an issue with spoilage because not enough people had done it in our area to learn the mistakes. The mice and hawks were constantly tearing holes in it.

Cutting hay at 8 - 10 weeks isn't what I want either, but it beats the alternative of having no hay to bale. At one of the hay and pasture classes we attended a speaker said if you use an inoculant you can start bailing hayledge right after you cut with no dry time at all.

propionic acid I know is used out west to bale hay and 20 to 24% moisture is ideal From what Anguscowman has told me. Im not sure if that what the use in balage

[highgrit]

HG , I attended a Farm field day 2 yrs ago and Know the guy that custom bales Haylege , It has its place but I don't think you or I can feed that much hay in the winter to justify the cost. and the Nutrient levels are still the same as dry hay if cut and baled on time. 1. you got to have a baler that will handle the wet hay 2.the wrapper machine cost 3. you adding about 3 to 5 dollars a bale just in wrap cost . Its expensive. I would venture to say you need to be able to put up and feed 1000 bales a year for it to be beneficial.

We used to put up 1200 bales a yr to feed every winter , we tried the balege back in the 90's and it was an issue with spoilage because not enough people had done it in our area to learn the mistakes. The mice and hawks were constantly tearing holes in it.

Cutting hay at 8 - 10 weeks isn't what I want either, but it beats the alternative of having no hay to bale. At one of the hay and pasture classes we attended a speaker said if you use an inoculant you can start bailing hayledge right after you cut with no dry time at all.

propionic acid I know is used out west to bale hay and 20 to 24% moisture is ideal From what Anguscowman has told me. Im not sure if that what the use in balage

This fellow said the inoculant worked both ways, from a high moister of 75% to a low of 14%. The added cost was $2 a bale for the inoculant, sounded to good to be true?

[m5farm]

not that im against technology but its always been a challenge to make hay in the south east. so Keeping it as economical as possible is the key, knowing you will have to have some type of supplement thru the winter whether it be winter grazing , Feed or syrup . that's just a fact of life and the price we pay for getting high stocking rates in the summer most years

[PPRM]

When you guys make statements like, "$2.00 a bale", what is the referenced bale size? Are they 100 lb squares, 800 lb rounds or 1,000 lb 3x4 squares? The conversation was silage baling. So, I am assuming rounds?

[m5farm]

When you guys make statements like, "$2.00 a bale", what is the referenced bale size? Are they 100 lb squares, 800 lb rounds or 1,000 lb 3x4 squares? The conversation was silage baling. So, I am assuming rounds?

Pprm , here in Southeast it's rounds . most are 4x5 now if it travels off the farm . dot has cracked down on the 5x6 bales. My baler makes a 4x5 and they are in the 900# range. There are some square balers around for horse folks but the bales are only 70# or so , most buy rounds if they have more than one or 2 horses

[m5farm]

As of this very minute we have 20% today Saturday and Sunday , I'm headed to lay it down. With a little luck I can get this done by Sunday

[highgrit]

I'm sure glad I didn't cut at Cedar Grove, good rain there. I'm planning on cutting it down tomorrow. I only have 7 acres left to cut at the house.

[m5farm]

I just got back from Town and a few wet spots on highway just light rain in spots , tedder it tomorrow maybe twice take and bale Sunday Lord willing