# Dropped Oat hay, rain in forcast... Decision time



## fastline (Mar 2, 2013)

Just got all the oats dropped last night. 40 acres of it. There is a 50% chance of rain tomorrow (was 60%). I don't think there is any way the oats will be cured enough by tomorrow but kind of scratching on what to do. I don't have a tedder but may throw on together in a pinch.

It seems like we have entered our drought time in KS so I would almost wager if we get rain, it won't be a huge soaker but would be my luck to be enough to ruin my plans.

I had my conditioner rollers set about 1/8" apart on the haybine. I was NOT impressed. Really did not seem to do much IMO. Not sure why yet.

So what would you experienced hay guys do? I guess I cannot really bale non-cured hay and I don't have other equipment for silage, etc. I planned to start looking at baling Monday but....


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## LaneFarms (Apr 10, 2010)

If you cut in the dough stage I don't think you will have them dry enough to bale Monday. I have cut some with my flail conditioner and it took 5 days to get them to 20%.


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## fastline (Mar 2, 2013)

These were late milk, early dough stage. I had one guy say to try to bale tomorrow. I did not think that sounded right but I am new to oats. People talk, I listen.

When I said bale on Monday, that was optimistic, but obviously based on testing.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I doubt they will be ready to bale tomorrow and I wouldn't bale them green unless you could wrap them. Probably the best thing you can do is not touch them till the rain comes thru and it would really help them dry back out if you could Ted them after the rain. When I made my oat hay a month ago I cut in the morning on day 1 and started baling after lunch on day 4 (72 hours after cutting) and they were just right. If they were calling for 60 percent chance of rain tomorrow when you cut you probably should have waited to cut until after the rain, if they changed the weather after you had already cut that is understandable it happens to all of us.


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## fastline (Mar 2, 2013)

To be honest, I have 4 untested pieced of equipment and expected either the tractor or swather to fail. I was wagering on plan B. I also notice there is "a chance of showers" about every single day around here right now.


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

I bales some millet. I checked it and thought it was ready to bale. My neighbor checked and he thought it was ready to bale. So, I baled it. I got a call from my customer about 10 days later and he said the bales were burning. He said a dark brown v started fron the center end the top got white. Later it would smolder and burn. Thank goodness it was a small area and only 7 bales. I replaced them with 15 haygrazer to make him happy. He got the better deal.

I would say wait. You just have to make do with the weather. You really need a tedder it it gets wet to dry it out. Just don't let it mold or mildew. Good Luck


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

I agree with FarmerCline. Leave them be until the rain is gone, let the top dry off and then ted the hound out of it when the weather looks clear for 3 or 4 days. We've really only had one good week here in NC to be able to bale and that's when the Oats got baled, mowed on Monday, tedded that afternoon and evening, tedded again the next afternoon, raked on Thursday as soon as the dew was off the top and baled on Thursday afternoon and evening, 288 4x4 bales, baled a small amount on Wed. Best looking Oats hay we've ever seen. The Tedder made all the difference.


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## fastline (Mar 2, 2013)

Would you agree baling during the heat of the day is not much of an issue for oats? I know leaf shattering is an issue with Alfalfa but heard that oats really don't much care?

Because my baler is untested, I would rather bale during the day for now.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

I would think it would depend somewhat on your soil moisture content and the relative humidity near the ground not 6-8' in the air. Since you don't have a Tedder I assume it's still sitting on top of the stubble and you can't stir it up. Until my wife bought a Tedder the underneath of their Oats would still be somewhat green when raked and uncured even after 4 days of high heat and good drying weather but their Oats are usually 4-5' high.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

fastline said:


> Would you agree baling during the heat of the day is not much of an issue for oats? I know leaf shattering is an issue with Alfalfa but heard that oats really don't much care?
> 
> Because my baler is untested, I would rather bale during the day for now.


Leaf shatter not a issue with oats hay.I wouldn't want any extra dew moisture in oat hay it tends to carry more moisture in the grain heads and typically wetter then you think it is.


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