question for discbine operators

KURK1

Member
We have a new Holland 7220 that is starting
its third season. It has been an excellent
machine. I've tried using it two ways. One
is with the rear vertical flap ( sorry, not
sure of the correct name) down so that it
spreads the hay completely across the mowed
swatth. The other way is to leave the flap
all the way up, so that the grass being
discharged is standing more loosely,
upright, but in a narrower windrow. Both
situations are with the side flaps at the
widest position. I can't tell much
difference in drying time. Crop ranges from
pure clover to fescue, orchard grass, or a
combination of all. How do you guys set
your mowers?
 
I run the 7320 discbine with flails. We are 100% grass and like the flails better. The flap you are talking about, I never adjust it because like you say it doesn't make much difference. With the flails it does keep the hay from shooting as far out the back. The sides are set for the widest windrow. I think tedder timing helps to dry hay. I find if I Ted the next day after cutting, instead of immediately after cutting gives faster dry time. Nathan
 
I don't a have a discbine, but a Hesston 1110 mower conditioner with a similar flap. I've tried making windrows and also wide swaths too. If the ground is wet, sometimes a windrow is handy as some of the uncovered ground can dry out better. OTOH, I feel a wide swath of conditioned hay dries better as there is more hay surface area for the sun to hit. What I do now is set the swath just wide enough that my wheels are not driving over the windrow and the heel of the mower conditioner is out of the hay and not gathering it up.

Good luck,
Bill
 
I have a 9ft 2 in discbine and everything BillVA said is right on. My tractor wheels are set at 9 ft 2 in outside to outside and I make the swath wide as I can yet not drive on mowed hay on the next pass. That leaves two 18.4 tire widths of bare ground to dry by tomorrow where the windrow is placed.
 
I'm running a JD 630, with tines, and don't see much difference, either. I also tedd mine twice- the day it is cut and the day after. If it's not to thick, I can roll it the evening after I cut it...
 
I use a NH 1409, I always set the swath as wide as it will go, makes a huge difference in drying time. Some of you are not seeing a difference because you tedd which makes this a moot point for people who use a Tedder. Mowing in a wide swath and raking at the correct time and mowing at the right time will dry hay faster then laying in a narrow swath and then tedding.
 
I set mine just narrow enough that I don"t drive on any of the hay mowed,,,tractor is set out too,,,,driving over the hay will mash it down and slow drying
 
Mine is set that one tire touches the row a little bit, I know that it is not ideal but University of Wisconsin did research several years back on windrow width and drying and found that it was still better to travel on hay than to narrow the swath, so narrowing the swath is never recommended as far as drying time goes unless you are doing hagylage
 
its just enough to clear tires,,,,never had an issue with drying that way,,,unless weather related
 
Depends on ground moisture. If the ground is wet, I run as narrow a swath as I can to dry the ground as well as the hay, let cure a day, then tedder out. Dry ground I like to flatten it out to speed the surface are exposed for drying, maybe even tedder too. Unless its getting late in the season and I want to slow drying, then Ill narrow it up.

With dry ground, a wide swath, and tedder we've been cutting p.m. of day 1, tedder day 2, rake and roll day 3. 500 rolls in the barn in 4 days. 6 men, 4 tractors, 2 skid loaders, and a dump flatbed truck.
 

2X what KYhayman said. In many parts of the country there is little moisture in the ground. If your ground is dry go ahead and spread it wide. If your ground is wet like here in the Northeast, most of the time, you want it in a narrow swath so that you are not running over it on the next pass and pressing it down into the ground where your Tedder won't even grab it. Also if your ground is moist you want a narrow swathe so that the ground can dry for awhile.
 

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