Windrow Width

[jdjdjd]

Currently baling with a Vermeer 8-wheel rake making about a 2.5 foot windrow for a 5 foot round baler. Is this standard practice or should I try for a 5 foot windrow.
Mostly coastal and bluestem but I also do a first cutting of annual ryegrass.
I am also looking at 10-wheel rakes and just looking for advice.

JD in Texas

 

[Bigfoot62]

You're doing fine. You already have a rake, and I assume it's paid for. I have a 10-wheel, but it's what came in the "package" when I bought my used baler, mower, and rake.
You really want a windrow that's not as wide as the baler, so you can weave from side to side. That's how you make a uniform bale.

 

[bigbull338]

as said your doing fine with the rake you have.if you have a full widow as wide as your pickup reeltheres no need in weaving back an forth.thats the way bales was made years ago.

 

[jdjdjd]

Thanks for the replies. I was looking at an H&S AR10 rake and the literature says windrow width adjustment from 4' to 6'.
I am not sure how that would work out.

 

[Larro Darro]

I liked for my windrow to be as wide as my baler. We used an 1978 year model Gehl until last year. You had to have a full windrow for it to spin up. We had taken the two outside wheels off the rake for when the hay was too thick. So when it was thinner, we had to rake two windrows into one. Even then it was a job starting a bale. Sold our cows and gave up the haying. Now we lease the field.

 

[DT86]

I think a 4' windrow would work better than 2.5' for a 5' pick up. Do you have hay saver wheels on the baler?

 

[jdjdjd]

Yes, hay saver wheels.

 

[Tx Jim]

I like my windrows wide as my rd baler. If the windrow is uniformly made very little weaving is required for a uniform bale. I have never regretted buying my H&S hi-cap 14 wheel rake.If I choose to rake less hay I just move the hyd control lever. If I choose to change windrow width I just turn crank on the rear. Photo is of a rake similar to mine.

 

[redman135]

Hello, I work for a hay and silage contractor.The art in making a round bale with square shoulders lies with the rake and operator. The row should be about the same width as the pickup. The SHAPE is critical. It needs to be as square as possible to give a square shouldered bale (even chamber fill) . Around shouldered bale means you have a row that is V or pyramid shaped. Zig zagging down the row will still leave you with round shouldered bales.

 

[bsrfarms97]

I would definitely set my windrows to the same width is my baler. Your bales will look much better and be easier for handling, stacking, and less hay lose if bales are outside.
(Just out of curiosity) I am not familiar with coastal any. I have baled my fair share of rye grass though. How are you able to set your V rake to that narrow of a windrow and not bunch up your hay? I know here is mostly fescue, clover, timothy, and alfalfa. I have a 8 wheel rake that I use and its set to make a 4ft windrow and in thicker hay it still bunches up at times. I couldn't set mine to be any narrower of a windrow if I wanted. But like I said I'm not very familiar with most of the hay your baleing so could it be that, that type hay is somewhat thinner? Just asking.

 

[Tx Jim]

Wheel rakes come in 2 different configurations. The type I think is best is the one similar to the photo I posted with the rake wheels on the inside of the frame next to the unraked hay. The other style are generally the fold in the air(butterfly) type that have the frames next to the unraked hay with the rake wheels on the very outside. In heavy hay the frames block the flow of the hay which causes these clumps(bunches) in the windrow. Plus as these butterfly rakes get worn it allows the rear rake wheels to get closer/further apart affecting windrow width. I can narrow my H&S hi-cap down to the narrowest windrow setting for sq baling and still get no clumps(bunches) in the windrow. Another thing I like about my hi-capacity rake is I can adjust my raking width from 28' down to 5 ' and my windrow width from 3' to 5'+ which are totally independent of each other. On butterfly rake windrow & raking width are """"dependent on each other""""

 

[jdjdjd]

Thanks for the replies. I am still looking to upgrade to a 10-wheel rake. Some of them will only go down to a 4' windrow. The Vermeers will go narrower than most.
BSRFARMS97, occasionally I do bunch up in tight corners. My hayfield was neglected for many years. I am just now getting the field in good shape but the grass is not as thick as I would like. I tried a 5' windrow and it was very thin in the middle. Wondering if a 10-wheel rake will help put enough in the wider windrow.
I recently spoke with other baler guys and they all seem to like the narrow windrows for 5' balers and wide windrows for 4' balers. They weave like I have been doing. The bales are nice and tight.
I only bale enough hay to keep my cows fed. Sometimes I have a few extra to sell but I am very picky about the quality of grass I bale.
I am always looking for better ways to do things so I appreciate all the input from more experienced guys.

 

[Larro Darro]

What we did when the hay was thin, was to rake two windrows together. Or do the first one normally, then just catch it on the edge of the rake, so you would have 1 1/2 times the hay per windrow. {we always had more time than money} But more often than not, our problem was the hay being too thick. Then we would take off the outside wheel on each side, converting our 8 wheel rake into a 6 wheel rake.

 

[Bison]

I modefy'd the pickup on my round baler ( vermeer 605 D) to 6' wide from the stock 5'. I set my haybine to leave a swath 5.5" wide. That way i can drive straight down the swath and get a evenly packed bale with tight square corners.
I never rake or turn the swath.