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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

Digital Moisture Reader

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Flutette Farm

03-12-2004 08:29:03




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We use a digital moisture & tempature probe to check hay moisture when baling and have been baling at 18-22%. At the higher reading the hay does heat sightly when baled but usually 12-15 degrees and drops off in a couple days. This doesn't seem to impact the hay test results and at the higher moisture content we seem to be able to hang on to more leaves. What opinions do you haymakers out there have on this? Thanks for your input.....

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Rick

03-14-2004 08:40:24




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 Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Flutette Farm, 03-12-2004 08:29:03  
I have simple questions for you guys. Are you talking straight alfalfa,grass hay or mixes. Cause the testers I Use have all got to be seperate machines. The unit for straight alfalfa will not test grasses. Mine are Dickey Jon units. Also when you talk 18% and above how do you end up with a saleable product. I have always got to be under 16% Period. Prefer 14% as my best stuff. I sell mainly right out of field and also some goes into shed for later pickup. Normally it all stay on trailers and get sold off of it. I have enought trailers to hold each fields crop on wheels. I only unload during noncutting cycles if necessary. Even when I do all my straw it needs to be below 16%. After doing this for 20 plus years I must be missing something. All my products go to retail outlets. i will be installing two testers in balers this season. Are you guys using treatments or what I can't.

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Loren

03-14-2004 10:16:25




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 Re: Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Rick, 03-14-2004 08:40:24  
Ok, one back to you. How do you determine what level moisture you want? Why do you want 14-16% and others are striving for 18-22%. Inquiring mind??? Loren



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Rick

03-14-2004 16:05:33




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 Re: Re: Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Loren, 03-14-2004 10:16:25  
Loren; Simple if I bale above the 16% it spoils,simple as that. It will smell moldy and be whitish inside.



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Bill B

03-14-2004 10:12:58




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 Re: Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Rick, 03-14-2004 08:40:24  
Hi, I agree with you, I have to bale at no higher than 16% for orchard grass. I use a Farmex and JD testers, both made by Farmex. Bill



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Fern(Mi)

03-13-2004 07:41:08




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 Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Flutette Farm, 03-12-2004 08:29:03  
Been making hay for yrs.
Mostly 5'x6'Dry.
For dry hay I want 17% moisture or less. Test roll one bale. Figure 17% or less moisture absorbs occasional 22% problem pockets nicely.
For Silage hay want 30% moisture, though not sure of accual moisture content. Have been wading, twisting hand fulls. When they remain in tact, I figure about right. Seen moisture technics here last fall will try same myself this season.
Bale some convenience 8olb bales with old T50.
Dust control I think is more in machinery adjustment tah anything else. I use a 2-1/4" block of wood under all haying making machine tines. When tines miss, I'm not digging earth, with NH inverter or PTOed AC rake.
That's my penny's worth.
Fernan

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Jerry D in NC

03-12-2004 16:25:31




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 Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Flutette Farm, 03-12-2004 08:29:03  
I would first of all want to be sure that your moisture meter is accurate if you are cutting it that close. Most of them are off as much as 5% and that is not good if you are going at 22%. The Beef Cattle handbook (link below) indicates that heating and spoilage happens at 20%-22%. We have always worked for an 18% before baling. You are right about Dry Matter loss if handling below 40% moisture. We have experimented with alot of handling methodologies but the ones that work the best for "US" "here" are as follows. I start mowing at 4 am trying to get 4 hours of hay on the ground. Use a 7ft JD 1207 MoCo and leave it spread over 4-5 foot wide swath. Depending on the weather I let that dry until the next evening and then I rake it after dark when the dew has fallen and raised the moisture content. Depending on the stage of drying we will bale it the next afternoon after the windrow has dried or I will roll it half a turn the next night and we bale the next afternoon. Anyhow the point is we bale at 18% or less and rake above 40% which is what the dew will do for you

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Flurette Farm

03-12-2004 19:12:18




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 Re: Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Jerry D in NC, 03-12-2004 16:25:31  
Jerry, I like your system and we all have to do what works for us. I think I will try your method on a couple fields and see how it works for me. It is however very close to the way I'm currently putting up hay. I do cut early in the morning and I'm using a NH 12' selfpropelled swather so I don't have a problem getting a lot of hay cut. I try to rake the next morning and bale in the evening if my moisture has checked right by late afternoon. This don't always happen the way I want on 1st cutting in the spring and you know why.....

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jim

03-12-2004 16:10:10




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 Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Flutette Farm, 03-12-2004 08:29:03  
Would one of those testers be a worthwhile investment for small squares? We aim for the high-end horse hay market with any dust out of the question. In the past two years , I've got caught with a couple hundred bales that I swear the hay was dry enough when baled but later heated in the mow. Maybe a tester would help ???



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Flurette Farm

03-12-2004 19:02:55




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 Re: Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to jim, 03-12-2004 16:10:10  
Jim, it will be the best money you ever spent unless you just like guessing. The problem with using the older method is that most guys have a tendency to bale to dry and it diminishes the quality of their hay. Good luck..... ...



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kyhayman

03-12-2004 18:27:26




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 Re: Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to jim, 03-12-2004 16:10:10  
They are well worthwhile. I got a used on off ebay, top of the line Delmorst stuff for a third the cost (after the weatherman lied and my Farmtech unit got wet).



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Farmer Gene (NW WI)

03-12-2004 14:18:46




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 Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Flutette Farm, 03-12-2004 08:29:03  
I just bought a load of alfalfa in big squares that according to the feed test is 15% moisture now so was baled at a higher moisture content and the problem I'm having is that the cows have trouble shaking it apart, the whole flake will go flying, which is a pain because I have a tie stall barn and end up with flakes all over, none through the windows yet, I would rather see it so it can be pulled apart easily. I always thought they baled it at 15 to 20% and when the dew was settling to prevent leaf loss.

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Shep VA

03-12-2004 11:44:04




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 Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Flutette Farm, 03-12-2004 08:29:03  
Sounds about right for dry hay. Anything over about 25% will start to mold and rot.

We do a lot of wet wrapped hay around our farm and we bale from 40% to as much as 60% moisture for grass hays, now legumes cannot go that high and keep. We have to wrap those bales within 12 hours of baling or the temps go up in a big hurry.

Cant wait for spring to get the baler back out.....

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Flurette Farm

03-12-2004 19:34:23




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 Re: Re: Digital Moisture Reader in reply to Shep VA, 03-12-2004 11:44:04  
Shep, I really enjoyed your page. Thanks,



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