Hay Making on a Different Scale

[EddieWalker]

How big is the field? What happens to the worms after the hay is cut?

 

[QRTRHRS]

Last Saturday, I picked up 100 bales from my supplier. That will last me roughly three months so I was discussing the winter supply with my supplier. He had a mixed reply. His small baler had broke when he had hay on the ground ready to bale. His go to mechanic whom is usually great with a baler could not get it up and running and his neighbor whom he works with on occasion small baler was also down.

He round baled it so the hay was not lost so he will have plenty for his cows this winter but it cuts into his income plans as the small bales are a part of his overall operation.

However, he said that a number of his previous customers no longer buy as they have sold off their stock. These would be small bale buyers that had goats, sheep, horses, etc. He does not usually sell round bales. He said that the economy was the main reason for the changes.

And, he upgraded to new or newer square and round balers.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

How big is the field? What happens to the worms after the hay is cut?

Eddie, this particular field is 17 acres, the army worms hadn't hatched out yet so by cutting the hay I probably disrupted the cycle, while I was cutting it down this morning the moth's were coming out of the hay grass by what seemed like the thousands, this is a thin cutting but for as late in the year as it is I'll take it. I have winter rye to plant for the cows and oats to cut for hay come February or early March, but I am waiting for cooler weather so the army worms won't eat either of those up.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

All I can do is set under the barn, the sun hasn't shined for 3 hours in 5 days here, it finally came out this afternoon and I tried to roll 3 different times once every hour but I just couldn't get right, maybe tomorrow the moisture will be low enough for me to get it done, got my fingers crossed.

 

[LHF2019]

All I can do is set under the barn, the sun hasn't shined for 3 hours in 5 days here, it finally came out this afternoon and I tried to roll 3 different times once every hour but I just couldn't get right, maybe tomorrow the moisture will be low enough for me to get it done, got my fingers crossed. View attachment 1801021View attachment 1801022View attachment 1801023

That's where hay preserve comes in handy. I only use on small squares, have not put one on round baler yet. I don't actually probe my bales unless I'm curious. Just go by feel. Did it break with the twist test? Did it feel off? I would be curious if those bales get dusty.

 

[Hay Dude]

18.8 wouldn’t sell up here for feed hay.
Me? I think it’s BS, I feed 18.8 all day long. Might be a little dusty for horses, but for beef it’s fine

I just delivered these and the buyer wants every bale probed.

 

[Hay Dude]

Hard to say. I didn't push my fields. Did more maintenance fertilizer than hitting them hard with urea for tonnage. Didn't have enough orders for 1st cutting so I brush hogged 30 acres but still have 8xx small squares and 4x round bales for winter sales. Covered all my 2nd cutting orders and still have 2000 small square bales to sell this winter.

I bet I could sell the stuff you bush hogged for 7-9 per bale.
Too bad we are so far apart. Would like to buy & resell from you. I can tell you give a damn.

 

[Tx Jim]

My experience from utilizing a hand held moisture tester for over 30 yrs is if round bales are probed on rounded part of bale vs flat side of bale one will see significantly higher moisture %

 

[LHF2019]

My experience from utilizing a hand held moisture tester for over 30 yrs is if round bales are probed on rounded part of bale vs flat side of bale one will see significantly higher moisture %

Your right I didn't catch that. When I have probed rounds I do as you described and it is a ^%$# sometimes to get the probe in. I would bet those are easily 5 points higher now

 

[Hay Dude]

Large square bales have similar readings.
Probe the twine sides and readings are higher than sides without twine.
When I deliver a load of bales I get a kick out of watching the little gal try to get a probe in my bales with the twine side out