Heavy hay!

morgan in ar · Jul 11, 2019

keeps it mowed with his riding mower. I guess he hadn't got to it in awhile. This was probably the thickest hay I have ever cut. My tractor is only 72 hp, it runs the discbine pretty well usually. I had the tractors ears pinned back, it was all it wanted. I had to drop two gears. I usually cut about 7.5 mph, had to run about 4.5 to keep the tractor from overheating. I don't know how I am going to rake it. I'm pretty sure my v rake won't roll it. Do you think the baler will pick it up like it is?

NEKS · Jul 11, 2019

If big rounds, baler will eat it just fine.

SVcummins · Jul 11, 2019

Yes baled lots of heavy hay like that without raking . Our new Holland v rake will roll heavier hay than that

SVcummins · Jul 11, 2019

Don?t know if the link will work or not
New Holland raking meadow hay

Bob · Jul 11, 2019

"had to run about 4.5 to keep the tractor from overheating"

Sounds like you need to clean the radiator, inside and out, as needed.

A tractor that has enough HP to pull the load shouldn't be overheating when used within it's capabilities, IMHO.

SVcummins · Jul 11, 2019

Not to jump on anyone but I agree bob

Janicholson · Jul 11, 2019

Probably 50% of the load is in the dead dry residual stems in the field. No nutrition, lots of "fiber" Jim

morgan in ar · Jul 11, 2019

It really had all it wanted. It's an air cooled engine.

SVcummins · Jul 11, 2019

Them beef cows do right well on feed like that

morgan in ar · Jul 12, 2019

Mine is an H&S 8 wheel. It never has raked very well. It might be time for me to repair the 256...

Northvale PA · Jul 12, 2019

We assume your knives are sharp?

WESnIL · Jul 12, 2019

With the hay lying in nice windrows like that from cutting just take the baler in next and forget the rake. Make sure to bale in the same direction of travel as it was cut.

Traditional Farmer · Jul 12, 2019

Must be the picture that hay doesn't look all that heavy to me.

Traditional Farmer · Jul 12, 2019

I see where those wheel rakes are used unless the ground is very even and not hilly they will leave a lot of hay unraked,but they will dig out every half buried rock.Can't beat a NH 256 as far as I'm concerned.

flying belgian · Jul 12, 2019

Yes the baler will bale it but I don't know how your going to get the bottom of the windrow to dry unless you turn it.

Tx Jim · Jul 12, 2019

(quoted from post at 07:24:32 07/12/19) I see where those wheel rakes are used unless the ground is very even and not hilly they will leave a lot of hay unraked,but they will dig out every half buried rock.Can't beat a NH 256 as far as I'm concerned.

I think a H&S Hi-cap rake similar to my rake will rake that hay with no problems & little to no hay left on the ground. Amount of rocks my rake digs up is determined by how much ground pressure the rake wheels are allowed to have which is set by adjustable stops.

dhermesc · Jul 12, 2019

That doesn't look that heavy. The brome grass I've been cutting stands as tall as the 38" wheels on my Farmall. It's raked in windrows about 6' apart and my old 276 baler is working for all its worth to keep up at 1.8 mph with a lot of clutching to allow the baler to keep up. I tried using my IH 47 baler and it couldn't handle it at all.

SVcummins · Jul 12, 2019

Top of the grass is as tall as the tire but welcome to yt where someone has always done it better than you have

ADB-Ia · Jul 12, 2019

I mowed a field of tall grass hay yesterday that was blown and rained down toward the south. When I drove south - the direction that the hay was leaning - it mowed great. When I turned and mowed north - into the direction it was leaning - it pulled terribly hard. The tall grass was feeding into the conditioner rolls before it was cut. Slowing down didn't really help much. My Deere 2955 had more than it wanted with a 12 foot mower. I ended up mowing one way after opening the field up. Luckily it was a small field.

wolfman · Jul 12, 2019

In southwestern PA that field would be considered light hay.

caterpillar guy · Jul 16, 2019

Should rake just fine. I was rolling over some grass hay as heavy as that with my little Hesston wheel rake.

Heavy hay!

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