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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

Rained on Hay

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BobMo

03-19-2004 08:09:48




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How many of you hay men out there think it is better to cut hay and get rained on than to delay cutting a week or ten days. The reason I ask is we know that 1st cutting is difficult in the spring here in Missouri and I was told by a hay buyer that he would rather have hay that had been rained on after cutting than have it cut late. He also claims that it will test better. I know I have missed many opportunities when looking at the "possibility" of rain. I personally have delayed in the past most of the time. What do you guys think..... ...

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Bill Smith

03-22-2004 21:00:18




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 Re: Rained on Hay in reply to BobMo, 03-19-2004 08:09:48  
I put up hay in North East Kansas. Grass hay, I don't have to much trouble. Had very little grass hay get rained on before it is in the bale. Just pick a pretty sure 3 day window of no rain or wait. Alfalfa is not as easy. The last couple of dry years I just got 3 cuttings. You can get 4 if things work right (important to put it up on time). Some people try to get 5 but they have to pretty much put it up early every cutting to do that. I have a tendency to not knock down alfalfa hay if there is rain in the forecast. If it gets rained on when it is fresh cut it doesn't seem to hurt it. An alfalfa crop can be basically totally ruined if rained on after it is dry. Doesn't take much and you will have sticks when you get it in the bale. Its pretty much a gamble which ever way you go. If in a pinch I would mow right ahead of a rain storm, otherwise I will wait. I have lucked out in the past, and I have seen a few hay crops turn out to be a failure. Go ahead and roll the dice.

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kyhayman

03-19-2004 20:07:43




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 Re: Rained on Hay in reply to BobMo, 03-19-2004 08:09:48  
That's why I started wrapping :-). If I'm feeding it I'll cut it if I've got 36 hrs clear. If I'm selling it I'll keep it dry if I have to wait until mid July. In a short hay year I can sell the late cut in squares for the same as good hay (may have to hold it over a year or two) but I almost cant sell hay that's had more than a half inch on it at any price.



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Gary in TX

03-19-2004 14:47:29




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 Re: Rained on Hay in reply to BobMo, 03-19-2004 08:09:48  
As a custom hay baling operator I can say this, cut when its ready unless there is a major chance of some heavy rain. If it gets too big its too stemmy and looses protien. I like to cut when sudan or johnson grass is around waist to chest high(at the most) before it heads out if possible. It of course sometimes depends on how backed up you are too. Seems like around here as soon as season starts your automatically 2 weeks behind, everybody wants it cut at the same time. Take a number folks!

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Steve

03-19-2004 14:12:51




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 Re: Rained on Hay in reply to BobMo, 03-19-2004 08:09:48  
Bob,
I have had good luck cutting hours before a rain, as long as the rain only lasts a day or two. The hay is still green when it's rained on and it isn't hurt much at all. It also seems in Iowa that there is a very short window to get the crop up, especially first cutting. If they are predicting rain at night, I will cut right before dark, so it is still green. I sell quite a bit of hay, and you can't tell that it had rain on it. You may need to rake it twice though. Once to get it off the ground and again to roll it over.

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paul

03-19-2004 14:28:31




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 Re: Re: Rained on Hay in reply to Steve, 03-19-2004 14:12:51  
That seems best here in MN too.

It depends if they are predicting 5 days of rain, then I wait. But 1 afternoon of showers, might as well cut it.

--->Paul



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Mark

03-19-2004 11:59:30




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 Re: Rained on Hay in reply to BobMo, 03-19-2004 08:09:48  
I hate both conditions; rain and late.

I have proven that round bales of sudan do crummy when rained on. The cows will eat it if there is no other choice but reluctantly. For me, it is ugly and stinks so "people buy hay" says I don't want to buy it to feed my animals so why bale it and try to get folks to feed it to theirs. My square grass does somewhat better but since it is grass on a grass field (not dirt like sudan hay) I can get out there the next day and fluf it up which helps reduce the opportunity for mildew.

Mature hay is poor in protein and hard to consume and digest, especially in yearlings; it does, however make the most pleasing to the (buyer's) eye bale and weathers best in outdoor storage.

I plan as well as one can for timing and a break in the weather. That is all that you can do. Some you win and some you loose. But pffffft do you have to loose so many? Why can't the weather man know about that 3 minute popup shower at 2 in the afternoon? Gees.

Mark

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John 51

03-19-2004 11:06:14




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 Re: Rained on Hay in reply to BobMo, 03-19-2004 08:09:48  
I usually put off cutting but I don't know if that is the smart thing to do. My Amish neighbors cut on a 30-40 day schedule regardless of the weather. They say that's the most profitable way to get the most from their land.



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Joel Harman

03-19-2004 10:31:20




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 Re: Rained on Hay in reply to BobMo, 03-19-2004 08:09:48  
Have been told it takes 1" of rain before hay is decreased in forage value. So get rained on but cut before it pollinates



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Tim(nj)

03-19-2004 11:32:22




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 Re: Re: Rained on Hay in reply to Joel Harman, 03-19-2004 10:31:20  
That's fine if you're using it for cattle, but the horse people buy on appearance, not on relative feed value.



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Tim IN

03-19-2004 09:00:14




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 Re: Rained on Hay in reply to BobMo, 03-19-2004 08:09:48  
Early cut rained on hay can be more nutritional than later cut hay with no rain. However heavy rains and prolonged wet conditions can ruin quality fast, so it is a gamble. The most important thing for me because I sell most of my hay is that, "Animals don't buy hay, people do", and most want very green, no dust and most will say no rain.



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