# Cutting in the rain?



## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

Hi all,

I am new to cutting hay. I have been cutting for about 3 weeks now and have nearly 500 bales done. Yay! But I have about 1000 left to do and the weather has turned terrible. My question for all of you experienced folks out there is whether or not you have cut your fields while its raining if the weather for the following couple days is predicted to be good drying weather.

Here's the situation. Weather report indicates chance of rain all day tomorrow ending late afternoon, followed by two days of warm, dry sunny weather. If I wait until too late tomorrow to start cutting I won't get very much cut. I am hoping to take advantage of the two days of sunshine but with rain forecasted for the third day, in order to get any quantity cut I would need to start fairly early tomorrow, then give it a full day and a half to dry, then bale Friday late afternoon/early evening.

Would you start cutting in a light rain if you had this weather? Does it hurt anything to cut in the rain or immediately following while the field is still wet?

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I am running out of time to get all this hay off and am trying to take advantage of every weather opportunity I can get.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

What are you cutting with? Do you own a tedder? What is your crop (grass alfalfa clover mix etc)? How thick? Welcome to haytalk. How many belties do you have?


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

I am cutting with a NH 489 haybine, I do not use a tedder, just a v-rake after the hay lays one full day and I start raking around noon on the second day. Usually bale a few hours later. The crop is a mix of timothy, clover, trefoil, and a few other grasses. The stuff I would be cutting now is the thinnest of my fields (as this will dry the fastest given the conditions).

I have 40 belties.


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

My experience is that haybines and moisture do not mix. I've put hay down with a discbine in the rain in the same weather condition you are describing and it worked well. But I think you will be fighting plugs. Are you doing squares? Rounds?


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

Rounds. I would probably have to run slower for sure, but other than fighting with a few plugs, is it a bad idea? I just checked the weather again and it appears that most of the rain is going to miss me, so I might just be dealing with a few sprinkles throughout the day.


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## Leggupfarms (Jun 30, 2014)

I agree a haybine in the wet doesnt do well unless your knives are sharp. Plus you will be going slow. A disc bine would be preferable. A tedder is nice to speed up the drying process. If you know someone who has one it would be worth using. If you do decidevto cut keep expectations low so youbdont get overzealous and move too fast and gum up the haybine.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I just try to avoid it if possible. The way the weather changes anymore if you cut in the rain it may not end for days regardless of what the forecast says.. I also don't cut right before a rain anymore for the same reason.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Given your situation-sickle bar and no tedder-fagedaboutit. I cut just before rain or during rain a lot but only when the forecast is strong for good weather the next day for several days. I cut with a discbine which can cut anything regardless of how wet. Immediate tedding following the rain before the sun cooks it is essential for eliminating mold and mildew at the bottom of the hay especially as the heat increases to mid 80s or above. So since you don't have a tedder, I would not consider cutting in the rain or just before the rain.


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

Thank you for all the replies. I guess I'm going to wait and see how long it rains this morning and decide if I still have enough time to get anything cut after things dry up a bit later. Maybe by next year I can afford a discbine and tedder but for now I have to work with my existing equipment. Not many people around here use tedders, so borrowing one isn't an option.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

beltielady said:


> Thank you for all the replies. I guess I'm going to wait and see how long it rains this morning and decide if I still have enough time to get anything cut after things dry up a bit later. Maybe by next year I can afford a discbine and tedder but for now I have to work with my existing equipment. Not many people around here use tedders, so borrowing one isn't an option.


While I love my discbine and you "could not pry it from my cold dead hands" I would buy a tedder first, even if it is a two basket, four basket obviously better given you are doing 1,500 rounds. I had a 489 and a good NH 163 is a perfect match-you can take two spread swaths or if you are good, 3 windrowed swaths.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

Belties???


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## shortrow (Feb 21, 2012)

I mow in the light rain if there is a good drying forecast in the following days. I have a 488 NH haybine with short (anti-plug) guards. Keep sharp sections on the sickle and it does fine.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

discbinedr said:


> Belties???


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belted_Galloway

http://beltie.org/


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

discbinedr said:


> Belties???


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Soft ground makes front legs look shorter than they are.


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## shortrow (Feb 21, 2012)

Belties. Belted Galloway? A few around here. Good breed.


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

Yes Belted Galloway. They are a fantastic breed.

As for the cutting, the weather changed two days ago, it cleared by mid-morning, managed to knock down 25 acres and just finished baling tonight before it started raining, again.....


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

How do you market your belties? Calves, halves, ?


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

I sell them pretty much however people want them. I sell registered breeding stock and also freezer beef in halves, wholes and quarters. I have a very nice herd of registered wide belted gentle cattle. You looking for some belties?


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Not today. I have mostly highlanders. I bought four beltie steers last fall and it turns out the nicest looking one is no steer. Time will tell. If I get a belted calf or two next year he may get promoted. He is trying. Big highland bull pushes him away from his gal pals.


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

I looked at highlanders too, but I decided against dealing with horns. The meat is similar from what I've heard and I just love the belties. I have so many "tourists" stop to take pictures of my unusual cattle that one even caused an accident one day!


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## SwingOak (May 19, 2014)

I've cut with my haybine in wet grass following a shower and it's very slow and jams up way too much, and that was with sparkling new and fresh knives. I definitely would like to switch to shorter anti-plug guards. Not sure where to find them though - Messicks maybe?


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

I actually just bought a second haybine (since I can't keep up with just one), and it has the shorter anti plug guards instead of the bigger ones that my current one does. So, maybe if I run into this situation again, I will use that one. But, hopefully with two cutters running during the next window of opportunity, I can get a lot more cut and won't need to cut during crummy weather.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

SwingOak said:


> I've cut with my haybine in wet grass following a shower and it's very slow and jams up way too much, and that was with sparkling new and fresh knives. I definitely would like to switch to shorter anti-plug guards. Not sure where to find them though - Messicks maybe?


 You should be able to purchase stub guards from your dealer and there will be a few other things you will need to convert to stub guards like hold down clips.


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## SwingOak (May 19, 2014)

FarmerCline said:


> You should be able to purchase stub guards from your dealer and there will be a few other things you will need to convert to stub guards like hold down clips.


That's where I was thinking of going, the NH dealer is expensive though. I'll see if I can get some pricing together when I pick up some twine this week. I'll probably need different hold downs to switch to a bolted cutter bar anyway.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

SwingOak said:


> That's where I was thinking of going, the NH dealer is expensive though. I'll see if I can get some pricing together when I pick up some twine this week. I'll probably need different hold downs to switch to a bolted cutter bar anyway.


Made that same move when I had my 489-switched to stubs and bolt on sections at the same time-boy what a difference-especially if you cut a survey stake or something like that-few minutes and I was back on line cutting.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

beltielady said:


> I looked at highlanders too, but I decided against dealing with horns. The meat is similar from what I've heard and I just love the belties. I have so many "tourists" stop to take pictures of my unusual cattle that one even caused an accident one day!


I was set on belties but they were not so easy to find. I bought a few Highlanders off CL and decided that was the route I am going. Both have many similarities. Both thrive on grass. Easy calvers cold hardy etc. Horns and belt set em apart.


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

deadmoose said:


> I was set on belties but they were not so easy to find. I bought a few Highlanders off CL and decided that was the route I am going. Both have many similarities. Both thrive on grass. Easy calvers cold hardy etc. Horns and belt set em apart.


Yes they are difficult to find. My closest cattle were a 5 hour drive and I've traveled 16+ hours and overnight trips for the rest. Those are one way times by the way. But, I have a great little herd now and surely enjoy them.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

How about some pics of the herd?


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

If it rains enough to coat the fenders STOP and let is dry out. I have cut with a dew but I have a disc MOCO. Sickle wouldn't even consider cutting.


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

Here are most of the girls. I need to get some more pictures on my website too.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

Those look great!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## RockyHill (Apr 24, 2013)

beltielady, good looking herd


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## Dill (Nov 5, 2010)

Here is the herd my brother just bought. We are picking them up this weekend. 8 cows, 5 calves and 2 ready to go steers which I bought.


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## Hokelund Farm (Feb 4, 2014)

I'm no expert but I would think if there is any drying window waiting to cut until right after you think the rain is done would be better?
In my mind (based on no scientific evidence what-so-ever), keeping the hay verticle to shed the rain would be better than laying it down? Especially with no tedder.
I've never tried cutting in the rain so I may be way off.


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

Nice looking group Dill! I love my belties, they are a wonderful breed and the meat is excellent. Best I've ever had.


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

Nice looking group Dill! I love my belties, they are a wonderful breed and the meat is excellent. Best I've ever had.


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## beltielady (Jul 9, 2014)

Nice looking group Dill! I love my belties, they are a wonderful breed and the meat is excellent. Best I've ever had.


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