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What is the best way to bale hay?
How do you bale hay manually?
How To Bale Hay Using Hand Hay Baler Tutorial: Step 1: Build Your Baler. | Step 2: Stand Baler Firmly On A Level Ground. | Step 3: Cut Polypropylene Twine And Tie Loops. Step 4: Attach Twine In The Baler. Step 5: Close Baler’s Door. Step 6: Put Hay Into the Baler Box. Step 7: Depress The Baler’s Plunger. Step 8: Tie Off Loops.
What equipment do you need to bale hay?
Hay Equipment A compact tractor is the staple of every operation, but mowers, conditioners, hay rakes, balers, and sometimes hay tedders and bale wrappers are also needed. Pay close attention to make sure your tractor has enough engine horsepower to meet the horsepower requirement for each implement.
How is hay made into bales?
Farmers cut hay in the field and let it dry for several days in the sun. Then they raked the dried hay into rows and ran baling equipment over the rows. This produced the bales. Storage is key to keeping this crop ready to be fed to animals in the winter.
Is it worth it to bale hay?
Having someone bale hay for you can be expensive; at the very least, it’ll result in splitting a percentage of the crop in lieu of payment, which can leave you short of your hay needs. If your needs surpass 100 bales, however, or if you want to guarantee quality, it’s worth considering baling your own hay.
Can you bale hay without a baler?
The baler in the plans is to be used in making a bale of pine straw, but it works just fine to bale our mixed-grass hay. Even without a hand baler you can cut and store your own hay. You’ll just need more space to store it.
How do you harvest hay without a baler?
If you don’t have a barn you can just pile your hay on pallets or some brush and then place a tarp over it.
Can I make my own hay?
You don’t need a tractor and big farm equipment to make hay, it’s extremely easy to do on your own. All you need is access to grass and somewhere to dry and store it. If you have poultry I’m going to assume you have a backyard of sorts, but you can even dry hay inside your own house you are so inclined.
How long do you let hay dry before baling?
As a rule of thumb, wait to rake hay until after the dew has dried and the sun nears its peak, or around 11:00 am. If possible, let the raked hay sit for an hour or two before baling to allow more drying time. Haymakers have several types of rakes available.
What size tractor do I need for baling hay?
Most standard square balers on the market require 35 horsepower at your tractor’s PTO, and a minimum tractor weight of around 3000 pounds. That means that they cannot be run with today’s compact tractors.
Why do farmers leave hay bales in the field?
If they are scattered around the field the farmer is just waiting for a convenient time to pick them up and move them. If lined up along the edge of the field they are being stored there. Big round bales can handle being left outside, and even if the outside looks weathered the inside will be good for a year or longer.
Is hay just dried grass?
Hay is a grass or can be a form of grass. When referring to it as a form of grass, it is a cut grass that has been cut then dried for the purpose of becoming an animal feed or food. Hay is a common food commodity for livestock owners who raise horses, cattle, sheep and goats.
What do you need to make hay?
Unless you put up your own hay strictly by hand, you’ll need a fairly hefty tractor, a mower, rake and baler. In some parts of the country, folks using old-style mowers add a tedder or crimper to the mix.
Is straw the same as hay?
Hay is a crop that is grown and harvested as a feed crop for cattle, horses and other farm animals. Straw on the other hand is a byproduct of a grain crop; in our area it’s usually usually wheat straw that we see. Straw on the other hand, is much better for use as a garden mulch.
Can hay get too dry to bale?
While hay with exceptionally low moisture might not be at risk of growing mold and bacteria, that’s because much of that hay’s nutritional value is already gone. When hay is too dry before baling, the leaves of the forage become stiff and brittle, making them much more likely to fall off.
How long does hay have to cure?
When preparing to bale hay, the transition from freshly cut, high-moisture grasses and legumes to dry forage is known as curing. This process takes on average 3 days—in good weather.
