# Rounds at 28% moisture



## eight (Feb 2, 2011)

I've got some hay grazer that was baled a little wet in front of the rain we were supposed to get. Nothing read over 20% on the delmhorst the day it was baled, which was Monday. Checked it today and it's all 20-28%, had one reading at 31%. Bales are 5x5' and baled loose, net wrapped. They are stacked outside with air space all around, no bale touching another. How much danger do y'all think I have?

I lit a grass field on fire with the hay cutter and a rock last week because it was too dry, now I'm worried about wet hay.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

check your bales when you make them and then leave them for a week or so. In between it will just make you worry.







They will be fine


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

You should be fine beings you have air space between all the bales.

I prefer to bale wet hay tight to keep air out of the bale.No air,No mold.Make the bale carmelize.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I agree--you should be fine--assuming you tested with the Delmhorst correctly.

I take at least 3 samples from a field. I put a big wad from a windrow into a 5 gal. bucket and take 2-3 readings per bucket. Make sure that you press downreal hard with the windrow probe (the one that is about 2" round and has a bunch of points). I try to gather my samples from bigger clumps so that there has been less air around it. I take samples from lower sections on the hill ground rather than high since that usually gets less sun and air flow. This gives me higher risk samples.

I've seen hay go as much as 10-12 points higher, peaking about 2-3 weeks after baling I rely more on a temperature probe than moisture tester when checking. Heat's the problem.

Because you have air flowing around the bales, you'll probably be OK.

Just the way a watched pot nevers boils, watching your hay too closely can make you nuts.

Ralph


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

I agree with heat over moisture. We tried 3 different Farmex probes and all gave very high moisture readings over a borrowed probe that knew had actually been tested and calibrated. The guy we bought the probes from couldn't believe it so we met him at his place with the calibrated probe and the one we had bought and proved it to him.

We bought a meat thermometer from an online supply with a 20" probe. Wife had some bales that seemed a bit warm after putting them in the shed a week after left lying in the field. So we checked them with the probe and the warmest one was 105 degrees, most were around 98.


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## Hal_VT (Sep 18, 2009)

I just tested my new to me Gehl 1400 yesterday. I made only one bale, first one I ever did, then quit because I had some squares that had to be baled.

Anyway, windrow moisture with the Delmhorst was 15% in the swamp, and down to 10% on the ridges. When I baled the squares, the on board sensor was showing mostly under 12%, with much of it showing 0.

Back to the round bale, I screwed up the twine wrap, and the bale looked pretty sorry when I dumped it out, so I was going to drop it over the fence for my neighbor's cattle, but then I decided to unroll it and rebale as squares, to see how much hay there was in it. It had sat there for about three hours. When we unrolled it it was warm and damp to the touch inside, and smelled "hot". My son ran the tedder over it and it raised a terrible dust storm. I didn't have a bale or windrow probe with me at the time, so I never checked the as baled moisture.

So the question is, would theis bale have kept, or would it have molded??


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Hmmm. Something sound funny here! You shouldn't be getting heat in your bale 3 hours after bailing. Especially if your Delnhorst was giving the windrow readings that you stated. You definitely wouldn't be get heat from bacteria at that time.

So here's some things you might check:

1. Double check the Delmhorst manual for the proper testing procedure and calibration. (This would be my first guess.)

2. You haven't posted where you are located, so some of the heat might be from ambient conditions. Hereabouts, we have been getting daytime temps of 103-108--this will make the hay hotter when baling.

3. Check your baler tension. You might be wrapping it too loose or too tight causing excessive friction.

As always, the more information you supply, like your location, type of hay, etc., the better people can help you.

Ralph


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

swmnhay said:


> I prefer to bale wet hay tight to keep air out of the bale.No air,No mold.Make the bale carmelize.


And the cows will go crazy for it... One year dad got some free hay that was carmelized and the cows fought over it! I didn't think they would touch it...Father knows best! Martin


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