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As a rule of thumb, wait to rake hay until after the dew has dried and the sun nears its peak, around 11 a.m. If possible, let the raked hay sit for an hour or two before baling to allow more drying time.
Can hay be 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.
What happens if hay gets wet before baling?
If rained-on hay is not again dried fully, mold and mycotoxin growth can occur which can put livestock health at risk. Furthermore, baled wet hay can combust due to the temperature increase caused by microbial growth – putting a producer at risk of barn fire.
How late can you cut hay?
The answers to these questions are usually something like… “it is fine to harvest through the first week of September”, and… “we recommend harvesting at least six weeks before the killing frost.” On average, the alfalfa killing frost (24 to 25 degrees F) in northeast Iowa occurs in the third to fourth week of October.
How long does a bale of hay stay fresh?
If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years. Keep in mind that hay, even premium forage, loses much of its vitamin content in the first few months of storage.
When should I start cutting hay?
On average the entire process of mowing, raking and baling hay takes 3 days—in good weather. Therefore, pastures should be cut when a window of at least 3 days of sunny, dry, hot weather can be expected. Some farmers cut on the last day of a rainy spell in order to maximize the number of hours of drying time.
Can you Ted hay with dew on it?
If drying conditions are lousy and rain is coming or hay is heavy may ted a second time. This is for any type, grass or legume or mix, if lots of legume use slow rpm and do it with dew on. Often times you only have a few hour window to do it right.
How long does it take for grass to turn into hay?
The grass should be in the early vegetative stage and not headed out, with enough growth to make mowing worthwhile. Time your mowing around the most reliable weather forecast you can find. It basically takes about three days of good weather to cure hay, which can be a challenge in late May or early June.
How dry is too dry for hay?
When hay is baled, it should not be higher than 18 to 22 percent moisture. At higher levels of moisture, bales lose large amounts of dry matter (Figure 1) caused by excessive heating and molding (Figure 2). In severe cases, spontaneous combustion is possible.
Is hay ruined if it gets rained on?
Rained-on hay often has relatively high protein values compared to fiber content unless there’s great leaf loss. Leaves contain a lot of the plant’s protein. As soluble carbohydrates leach, structural fibers make up a greater percent of forage dry matter. The digestibility of rained-on hay can decline 6 to 40 percent.
Is it OK to cut hay in the rain?
When plants are cut for hay, they do not immediately die. As long as moisture is above 40 percent, they will continue to respire – exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide – a process that burns energy. Sometimes, rain will not reduce hay quality significantly if the hay has adequate time to dry and cure prior to baling.
Can you bale hay with dew on it?
To make good hay, enough moisture must be present to keep all the leaves intact. In this situation, 13 percent is much too dry, and you must bale it at night with some dew on it to keep from losing the leaves or being dusty.
Is late cut hay good for horses?
Late-cut hays can provide enough energy and nutrients (i.e., carbohydrate, protein, minerals, vitamins, etc.) for most horses to thrive, even if pregnant, lactating, or exercising. They typically contain fewer weeds than early-cut hay.
Which cutting of hay is best for cows?
Producers should strive to harvest 1st cutting hay in the early heading stage. Hay harvested at this stage should meet the nutrient requirements for late pregnant cows. Second cutting hay should be used to feed lactating cows. The date of 1st cutting will be highly dependant on the type of spring weather.
Can you cut hay after frost?
The forage can be mowed anytime after a frost if you are making hay. It is very rare for dry hay to contain toxic levels of prussic acid. Forage with prussic acid potential that is stored as silage is generally safe to feed.
Does hay need to breathe?
3) Leave space for bales to breathe. That allows the air to move around the bales so they maintain their green color. Obviously, if we used preservative, they were baled a little damp, so they need space to breathe.”.
Does hay go bad?
Hay is a natural product that doesn’t expire in the traditional sense of the term. When stored in the proper conditions, hay will retain its nutritional value for many months. Over time, the fresh, natural aroma of hay that pets love will fade, so it’s a good idea to use your hay within its “freshest by” range.
Does hay lose sugar over time?
One concern about storing hay for a long time is its nutritional value. The longer it stays in a barn, the more nutrition it loses. In fact, after just a few months, the losses will start, and within a year it could lose 5% of its value. This includes protein, fiber, vitamins, sugars, and minerals.
