Hay Customers?

[leeave96]

To each their own, but we added a bale chamber mounted moisture meter that reads "live" as hay is moving through the baler. It is terrific feedback. We also added a buffered propionic acid applicator/tank hay preservative system which we can enable based on readings from the meter. We are making small square bales of Timothy. We sell all of our hay to horse customers. IMHO the expense of these two items are minimal; one wagon load of timothy this year easily paid for them. Considering the big picture, I cannot understand why any serious hay producer would not want all the information possible as they make top quality hay. In addition to one's senses, a meter is a very good tool to add to the mix. IMHO it makes the good - better.

YMMV.

Bill

 

[powerscol]

To each their own, but we added a bale chamber mounted moisture meter that reads "live" as hay is moving through the baler. It is terrific feedback. We also added a buffered propionic acid applicator/tank hay preservative system which we can enable based on readings from the meter. We are making small square bales of Timothy. We sell all of our hay to horse customers. IMHO the expense of these two items are minimal; one wagon load of timothy this year easily paid for them. Considering the big picture, I cannot understand why any serious hay producer would not want all the information possible as they make top quality hay. In addition to one's senses, a meter is a very good tool to add to the mix. IMHO it makes the good - better.


YMMV.

Bill

If I may ask, which meter system do you have. Also what make acid applicator did you get - several models out there on both. Thanks

 

[holeycow]

To each their own, but we added a bale chamber mounted moisture meter that reads "live" as hay is moving through the baler. It is terrific feedback. We also added a buffered propionic acid applicator/tank hay preservative system which we can enable based on readings from the meter. We are making small square bales of Timothy.


Bill

Now that sounds worthwhile.

If I am standing by the bale or the swath i might as well touch and smell the product rather than to turn on a gizmo.YMMV.

Getting real-time feedback from the baler would be priceless, especially when you're sitting in a cab not able to really feel the air outside.

 

[leeave96]

Now that sounds worthwhile.

If I am standing by the bale or the swath i might as well touch and smell the product rather than to turn on a gizmo.YMMV.

Getting real-time feedback from the baler would be priceless, especially when you're sitting in a cab not able to really feel the air outside.

No cab here. Most of the time I'm on the wagon stacking as we bale. The only thing that touches more hay than the meter are my hands.

 

[leeave96]

If I may ask, which meter system do you have. Also what make acid applicator did you get - several models out there on both. Thanks

I have an Agtronix BHT-2 meter with Deere labeling. The Deere labeled meter for me at the time was lower cost and carried a 2 vs 1 year warranty,

The applicator is by Crop Care. It is a simple 25 gallon tank with on/off control. You have to calibrate it via tips and pressure based on the volume of hay you are producing. We use New Holland's brand of buffered propionic acid by Harvestec. Deere, CaseIH and Agco sell the identical product, different sticker on the barrel. Why New Holland - lower price and no special shipping charge to the dealer.

Hope this helps.

 

[powerscol]

No cab here. Most of the time I'm on the wagon stacking as we bale. The only thing that touches more hay than the meter are my hands.

You need a hay grapple. Got mine form Kuhns Mfg LLC | Innovation in small square bale handling. . No more hand handling and I would bet you can stack on the wagon faster with the matching accumulator. You can unload from the wagon too with it. If I cant stack it with the grapple, I find another place to put it where I can.

 

[Jerry/MT]

I have baled hay with my dad since I was in High School. It has been all prairie hay for cattle. Well this yar I sprigged some Jiggs, purchased equipment, fertilized, mowed, baled, and now selling for myself (I also partnered with my brother).
Anyhow, I got a call from a customer that needs his hay to be light green with minimal bleaching. To be honest I never heard of curing hay be referred to as bleaching it. I understand he wants good hay, I realize that I have a lot to learn from my customers.
Anyone else heard of any terms or requests that are new to them?

Bleaching s that yellow color on the outside of a square bale. Unless you cover the bale immediately it's going to start right away when the sun hits it. I had a friend who put up hay in Columbia Basin and sold a truckload of hay that that the top covered to protect it from rain. He sold a 25T lot to some Amish and after he loaded the truck and before the load was weighed. they went over the bales with leaf rakes to get off the bleached hay. They then paid for the weighed lot. I don't think he ever sold hay to them again. When you sell hay, you meet all kinds of people!

 

[RedNeckRacin]

You need a hay grapple. Got mine form Kuhns Mfg LLC | Innovation in small square bale handling. . No more hand handling and I would bet you can stack on the wagon faster with the matching accumulator. You can unload from the wagon too with it. If I cant stack it with the grapple, I find another place to put it where I can.

You are still handling individual bales. I often fought with the grapple to pick up that one bale that wasn't quite in the right spot. A few extra teeth would have been really helpful at times. Is it better than chucking bales by hand, 100% better. For the price is it a great product? Absolutely. Do you have to have your storage places set up for a REALLY long setup? YUP! My FIL and I did over 900 bales in one day from windrow to put away before the stars came out. I never tried the grapple with the string tie on it, but If I'm doing alot of bales, I'd be looking for a bale bandit or something that actually combines the small bales into a bigger package. The money they want for those is pretty darn steep though!