Table of Contents
How long should hay dry before baling?
As a rule of thumb, wait to rake hay until after the dew has dried and the sun nears its peak, around 11 a.m. If possible, let the raked hay sit for an hour or two before baling to allow more drying time.
How long does it take to bale an acre of hay?
With this equipment compliment, it takes approximately 1.1 hours per acre to complete all tasks. Table 5 show calculations for a per bale charge with varying labor rates and hay yield per acre.
How many acres can you round bale in an hour?
Typically 2 13ft swaths raked together. Typically baling about 30 bales per hr on 1.5-2 bales per acre stuff.
Can hay dry in two days?
Subject: RE: How long does your hay lay to bale dry? Alfalfa swath and bale 4-5 days later depending on weather, sometimes 3 days sometimes 8 just depends. Grass swath 1 day bale the next, sometimes 2 days but not real often.
How do you make hay dry faster?
Another method Kaatz suggests for making hay dry faster is to use a tedder. A tedder, which works especially well with grasses, will fluff the windrow or swath and allow air to flow through it more easily. The additional air dries the hay faster, but Kaatz advises not to use a tedder on partially dried alfalfa.
How many times should I turn hay?
Hay should be cut when dry at the end of a sunny day when sugar levels are at their highest and tedded immediately after cutting. In good weather the grass is tedded twice daily and in very good sunny, breezy weather haymaking should be achieved in 3 to 4 days.
How much is a bale of hay worth?
The Price of Hay Bales By Weight
| Hay Quality | Bale Type | Minimum Price Per Ton |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | Small Square | $160 |
| Large Square | $85 | |
| Large Round | $65 | |
| Grade 2 | Large Square | $85 |
Is it hard to bale hay?
Follow these tips to help hay baling days go as smoothly as possible. It’s not the easiest of tasks, but baling your own hay is a satisfying project that is—in my opinion—well worth the effort involved. But it is difficult, especially if you produce the small square bales that are so convenient for many hobby farmers.
How fast can you bale hay?
Actually most balers pick up the hay best at 3 mph. Build a windrow that you can bale at 3 mph. Now if you have a 4 ton/A yield you may need to pick up what you just baled ( in low gear ) so you have enough room to make another round.
How long does it take to dry grass for hay?
The top of a wire rabbit run would be great if the weather is a bit drier. Here is my grass all laid out ready to dry. That’s it for the hard work, now you just need to wait for it to dry. It didn’t take long like this. In two weeks it smelt and looked like tasty hay. Once it has dried out you can store it like you would normal hay.
What’s the best way to make your own hay?
Hay is made by cutting high quality grass or other forages, letting it dry in the sun, then baling the dried forage for transportation and storage. Hay is made throughout the growing season of the forage plants in your area.
How can I tell if my Hay is ready to bale?
If the hay feels moist, then it’s not ready to bale. An easy test to do to see if hay is ready and bend it in half. If the hay is still wet, it won’t make any crunching sounds. If the hay is ready, it will make a crunching sound and snap almost. Do this test with the hay at the bottom of your windrow.
How to grow quality hay-hobby farms?
One of the keys to growing quality hay is harvesting it at the appropriate time, before the seeds of grass hay mature and before legume plants bloom. Once the hay begins to mature, the amount of nutrients can diminish quickly, leading to lower-quality hay that is less nutritious.