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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

First and last lost cutting this season

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Our Farmer

08-29-2005 08:03:30




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Cut 5 acres of fair to middlin' meadow hay which dryed nice then promptly got rained on for a couple days. Rain is in the forecast for a couple more, so it's gonna be pretty much toast.
Question is, since this was going to be the final cutting of the year for this field, do I need to waste the fuel raking and baling, or can I just rotary cut it and let it go for the winter? I'm concerned about the next year's yield. I don't have a round baler, so I'd have to make squares. I estimate about 600 bales, before the rain. I don't even know if the landscapers would want it.

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Joe(TX)

08-31-2005 08:52:14




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 Re: First and last lost cutting this season in reply to Our Farmer, 08-29-2005 08:03:30  
I turn over wet hay and let it dry and bale it. A tedder would work best. The quality is lower but have had no problems feeding as long as it does not start to mold. It will be a little dirtier though. I"ve done this to hay that was rained on for almost a week. Leaving it for next year will almost always involve moldy hay.



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hayray

08-30-2005 16:50:38




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 Re: First and last lost cutting this season in reply to Our Farmer, 08-29-2005 08:03:30  
I agree with the fella that said if it is not in a windrow I would just leave it, grass is a lot more tolerant of this than alfalfa.



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Nebraska Cowman

08-30-2005 04:49:06




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 Re: First and last lost cutting this season in reply to Our Farmer, 08-29-2005 08:03:30  
I have never destoyed any hay yet. I'd feed it to the cows. It can't be any worse than the stuff I'm baling this week. "waste not, want not"



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James2

08-29-2005 20:19:12




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 Re: First and last lost cutting this season in reply to Our Farmer, 08-29-2005 08:03:30  
If you can let it stand in the windrow long enough to turn almost black, it will almost "powder" when you run a rotary mower over it (note it needs to be dry when you mow it). However if you leave it too long in one place, it will damage the crop below. Tricky to manage, but we have done it on occasion, by turning it a few times during the rotting process. I have seen a really good job done with a flail chopper, does a lot better job than a rotary mower. The hay doesn't need to be as rotten

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Chick

09-03-2005 22:42:47




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 Re: First and last lost cutting this season in reply to James2, 08-29-2005 20:19:12  
If the hay can be tedded and dry, and mold has not started, it is fine to bale it when dry. the rain does not wash the protein out of it. The big thing is to keep turning it while it is drying. This keep the mold from growing.



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BobMo

08-29-2005 19:25:47




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 Re: First and last lost cutting this season in reply to Our Farmer, 08-29-2005 08:03:30  
Couple things, I don't know where you are but I think your way over on your estimate but here�s what I'd do.
We'd all like to get it back into the soil but my experience with running a bush hog over it is you'll just wind up with a lot of thatch your rake will pick up next spring and give you poor overall quality hay. Rake it, bale and get it off the field or wait till late Feb. and burn it.
Good luck what ever you do. It happens to everyone.

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old

08-29-2005 13:54:00




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 Re: First and last lost cutting this season in reply to Our Farmer, 08-29-2005 08:03:30  
I would just leave it unless its in windrow and if it is then I'd brush hog it or something just to spread it out. It will rot and help the soil.



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old

08-29-2005 13:53:52




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 Re: First and last lost cutting this season in reply to Our Farmer, 08-29-2005 08:03:30  
I would just leave it unless its in windrow and if it is then I'd brush hog it or something just to spread it out. It will rot and help the soil.



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old

08-29-2005 13:53:25




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 Re: First and last lost cutting this season in reply to Our Farmer, 08-29-2005 08:03:30  
I would just leave it unless its in windrow and if it is then I'd brush hog it or something just to spread it out. It will rot and help the soil.



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edchainsaw

08-30-2005 19:14:48




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 Re: First and last lost cutting this season in reply to old, 08-29-2005 13:53:25  
I had some of that kinda stuff (rained every day for a week after I had it in the windrow and had half of it baled--- yes I got wet)

I have had Decent luck just leaving it till next springs cuttings in the past. and had NO luck in the windrow bush hog methond... but thats here.. your there.. the type of winter will make a big differenc4e.



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