# Cutting hay in the rain!



## johndeeregreen

Who thinks its ok to cut hay in the rain or after a good rain, especially when you got 3 days of good drying weather after that?


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## mlappin

I don't think you really gain much unless of course you just can't do it the next day.

I mowed most of yesterday and a few times had the windshield wiper on, but it was also supposed to get sunny, never did. Some of it almost baled today, clover was a little on the tough side yet.

One thing I have found, with a 13 foot cut but the narrow width rollers in my 1431, if I cut down hay when it's damp even just from dew it knots it up and makes it near impossible to get those slugs to dry out no matter how many times tedded.


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## urednecku

I think it would be better to let the rain water dry while the crop is standing, seems the water would flow down faster, & air would be able to flow thru the upright grass better than if it was lying down.

JMHO

But like mlappin said, situations vary & some times "ya gotta do what ya gotta do."


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## somedevildawg

johndeeregreen said:


> Who thinks its ok to cut hay in the rain or after a good rain, especially when you got 3 days of good drying weather after that?


Have done it before.....I don't mind rain on fresh cut grass too much, every day the consequences of rain intensify. So within the first 6 hours or so......I'm ok with that


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## slowzuki

Cut Weds in light showers. Baled it tonight. Didn't seem to hurt it any.


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## johndeeregreen

Well I got up this his morning only got a 1/2 inch of rain its cloudy but windy, so I guess around 8:00 this morning were going to try cutting 50 acres today! Let y'all know how it turns out!!


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## gearhartfarms82

We do it all the time. Only way to go imo. The benefits out weight the risk. From grass to alfalfa.

Happy haying


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## rjmoses

Couple of thoughts:

1) Increased compaction. Not bad if your running a 13' mower, but worse if you;re running a 9'.

2) Depending on the amount of rain and the moisture in the soil before hand, it can be harder to get it dry on the bottom.

3) Three greatest lies: "The check's in the mail."; "I'll respect you in the morning" and "No rain in the immediate future."

Three days f drying weather may not be enough. Look at your recent history over the last 6-8 weeks for the weather pattern and see how many times you've had 3-4 days of good drying weather---forecast and actual.

Ralph


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## RuttedField

A few years ago we had about 40 acres down when a light rain started. We figured what would it matter since we were chopping it anyway. We did set it off to the side in the bunker just in case and it was good that we did. We only fed it to the heifers, but by the time we realized what was causing their deaths, we lost about 60 head and were soon loading up the wet silage and hauling it off. It was VERY expensive compost and a lesson learned.

I realized the original post was regarding hay and not silage, but rain and silage kills. Lost a prize breeding stock ram from listeroisis (circling disease) from moldy silage! :-(


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## johndeeregreen

We haven't had any rain for about 2 weeks we got about 1/2 inch of rain that Fri evening the ground soak it right up decided to go ahead and cut it Sat morning it was wet and cloudy until about that afternoon, It dried on top then we teddered it that Sat afternoon then Sun afternoon we teddered it again. Mon it was dried with about 14% moisture did real good got 6 rolls to the acre not bad. It turned out real good. Thanks for all the imput and comments!! Hope everyone has a good hay year. Keep in touch and God Bless.


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## JD3430

Dude, Look at third picture.


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## PaMike

Didn't know if you actually got much, or just a brief downpour. We had a couple like that in the last week and they didn't give us more than 1/10.


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## Randy Litton

I have cut in the rain when working for industry and time was scheduled. An acre of hay will lose 6 tons of water when drying down before baling. Yes there are a lot of mitigating factors i.e. I sprigged Bermuda grass with a 10% forecast chance of rain, it rained 1 1/2 inches; steering clutches required before abandoning the field for the day. Forecasts are projections, as sincere as they may be, they can change.

I would tedd immediately after conditioning. The Bermuda hay does not have the leaf loss associated with clovers.


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