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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

Alfalfa Round Bale Experts???

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ddk114

09-17-2007 07:19:35




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I always get dusty hay inside the bale when I do alfalfa bales. Maybe I"m baling them too tight. The lttle square bales I make are real nice. I use a NH 650 autowrap at 2400 lbs (max pressure) on the guage. It has the single cylinder tensioner system. The book says something like 1600 lbs. Am I on the right track??? I usually wait until its crispy dry then bale when the sun starts to set to dampen. Any suggestions please. I want to make perfect hay. Thanks

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kyhayman

09-17-2007 12:37:16




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 Re: Alfalfa Round Bale Experts??? in reply to ddk114, 09-17-2007 07:19:35  
Back off the pressure, way off if you are running 2400 psi. I rolled some today and keep mine on 1500 for alfalfa and mixtures, same baler only I've got the twin cylinder system on both 650's. Four days, two days, two weeks, four weeks means nothing as to curing time. If the relative humidity is too high it doesnt matter, hay will never get down where it needs to be at those densities. I wouldnt want to put anything in a roll above 15% moisture at 2000 psi or greater. Same with the dew, thats excess moisture that you dont want in there. I'd rather have stem moisture as dew moisture if I had to choose. Just seems like that external water adds to dust and mold whereas at 1200-1500 psi it may sweat a lot in the roll but if you dont stack them in the barn for a few weeks they will come on down on their own and behave. While it is certainly true that dew will help retain leaves its a constant trade off between leaf retention and dust. As to preservatives. I've used all of the buffered propionic acid treatments. You cant beat them for maintaining quality. Use 20 pounds to the ton and bale at 20% moisture. Get to keep the leaves, the color, the good smell and it doesnt mold either. I quit using it though, customers werent paying enough of a premium to pay for the cost.

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ddk114

09-17-2007 14:50:14




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 Re: Alfalfa Round Bale Experts??? in reply to kyhayman, 09-17-2007 12:37:16  
I'll give the pressure a try. I kinda suspected that the density was too high.
THANKS



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Jerry/MT

09-17-2007 09:52:28




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 Re: Alfalfa Round Bale Experts??? in reply to ddk114, 09-17-2007 07:19:35  
I'm certainly no expert but I've watched them bale alfalfa in the dry Columbia Basin of Washington State;they never rake it, and they bale at night. Most of their production is premium quality for dairies or the export market.



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foothill

09-17-2007 07:32:26




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 Re: Alfalfa Round Bale Experts??? in reply to ddk114, 09-17-2007 07:19:35  
hi I would not say i am an expert, but i do make over 1000 acres of hay a year in small sqaures, big squares and rounds for appr. 25 years. i have found that the bigger the package, the drier the hay needs to be. so with that being said, do not wait for the hay to dampen before baling. what i have found that works if you want to retain leaves is to use a preservative. typically one that is buffered with 68 percent propironic acid. with that one can bale at 20 percent moisture or slightly higher. hope this helps, by the way i live in NJ where we do not always have the best "hay" weather.

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ddk114

09-17-2007 08:39:17




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 Re: Alfalfa Round Bale Experts??? in reply to foothill, 09-17-2007 07:32:26  
Not so good a weather here in PA either. My first trial resulted in the powder deal where I ran around the field without raking. Big mistake. Cows helped me out of that one. Matter of fact, cows helping me out of the last one where I think I wrapped too tight. I know I have it dry, it laid for four days. Maybe I'm just expecting too much. There appears to be a fine line between. I know for a fact that my bales are solid. Probably too solid. Does preservative realy help? I hope to get the hay to look inside as good as it does outside.

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Don-Wi

09-18-2007 08:58:14




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 Re: Alfalfa Round Bale Experts??? in reply to ddk114, 09-17-2007 08:39:17  
4 days doesn't mean anything. It has to be checked and you have to make sure it's at the right moisture level before starting. Maybe 4 days is the ussual drying time in your area, I have no idea.

As far as the rest of your problem, no idea. We've only made rounds a handfull of times.

Donovan from Wisconsin



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Allan In NE

09-17-2007 07:26:37




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 Re: Alfalfa Round Bale Experts??? in reply to ddk114, 09-17-2007 07:19:35  
I dunno. Depends on where ya live I guess.

I get 'er so darned dry that it's spitting fire crackers. Then, wait for a good dew at 2 am.

Hay leaves turn out like they were pressed and dried between the pages of a book.

If the hay is worked too dry, the leaves just "grind up" into powder.

Allan



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