Wet round bales

[Nicky]

Do you think if the hay is a bit wet when baled, if you leave the bales in the field for awhile it is better than stacking them right away?

 

[jodywy]

if you do stack use lots of salt.
dairys here cut one day bale the next and then put in the long bags.....

 

[katrina]

Yes.... Especially if it's a hot day!

 

[EastWind]

If its going to be dry the next couple days, let the wind blow around it in the field and take the moisture out. Here if its going to rain we will stack it and like Jodywy said put a lot of salt on it.

 

[Larrry]

Just watchem so they don't get hot. Keep an eye on them with a temp probe.

 

[Denny]

Just leave them scattered for a week then pick them up. I just keep baleing and move bales after haying is over. We have no alfalfa so a 2nd cut is'nt necessary.

 

[Zilly]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the purpose of the salt? To draw the moisture out? It's not a practice I've heard of in my tiny slice of the world.

 

[jodywy]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the purpose of the salt? To draw the moisture out? It's not a practice I've heard of in my tiny slice of the world.

they used to salt loose hay when stacking to beat a storm, we used salt on little bales baled too green... helps keep the fire danger down as the hay heats

 

[Zilly]

they used to salt loose hay when stacking to beat a storm, we used salt on little bales baled too green... helps keep the fire danger down as the hay heats

Thanks for the info! Maybe if this little trick was known/implemented around here, a few beautiful old dairy barns would still be standing.

 

[gcreekrch]

Do you think if the hay is a bit wet when baled, if you leave the bales in the field for awhile it is better than stacking them right away?

I would be wrapping them Nicky, or using the additive Per uses while baling.

 

[George]

One of the best haying families in the area just lost a barn and several hundred tons of hay by putting them up damp.

Insurance would not cover them as the hay was in a rented barn! The landowner had insurance for the barn but not for contents, their insurance would cover hay only in their barns!

Now they are lining up 8 bales in a row and leaving them in the field for a couple of weeks. Their normal practice was to get them under roof the same day as baled to prevent bleaching - - - worked good for many years but one damp clump in one bale can sure cause damage!

 

[lazy ace]

Nicky how wet are we talking?

is this just moisture from the dew or is it still green and uncured?

hope all is well and you and Mike have a good fourth.

lazy ace

 

[Nicky]

It's just a few bales in the swales that were wetter than should be. Get so much wind and dust devils here that once hay is double raked you don't want to leave it too long. Normally we mark them and set off seperate and feed them first.