# Dealing with HIGH MOISTURE Small Squares -- HELP!



## FarmGirl (May 13, 2019)

Everyone has been dealign with the rain this year, and despite my efforts tracking the weather, we got slammed the day we were supoossed to bale. It was some of the best hay I had ever made, and it killed me to see it sitting there perfectly dry and now getting soaked.

I tedded it twice the morning the rain stopped and then tedded raked it the next day and baled it as more rain was due, and scheduled for the next 2 weeks.

MOST of it came out at about 14% moisture.

However, as evening closed it, the dew began coming up and the hay soaked it up pretty quick because my baler started making HEAVY bales (80 lbs or more) and my moisture jumped to 20-35%.

I have a full haycart in the barn staying out of the (now) rain and it's been in there a 36 hours. I had PLANNED to bust them open and rebale without the cart on (puts backpressure on bales and forces them to pack heavy) and bale at maybe 40lbs.

I DO have a moisture tester, but can I save these bales or will they end up moldy before I can re-bale? Can I add salt into the baler while baling to help, or maybe sprinkle between stacks in my loft? Currently the bales that didn't end up high moisture are still decent hay as both my cows and horses have gobbled it right up (both are picky on hay)

ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED! I just don't want to loose another 100 bales!


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Spread the bales out and turn the cut side/edge up facing the sky....let dry. Some will be saved the highest moisture ones will likely dust.....feed those to your cows. Or, take them out into the field, cut them open, SLOWLY spread them out with a tedder a couple of times and let dry and re-bale.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I doubt sprinkling salt on bales @ 35% moisture will stop mold. I agree with Mike bust bales open the allow to dry,ted & re-bale.


----------



## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

They’ll almost certainly be junk if left on the cart. Taken off and spread out one layer deep you at least have a fighting chance on some of them. You could cut the strings on the very worst ones but with cattle present as a backup use, I personally wouldn’t bother.


----------



## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

Don’t beat yourself up it happens spread those bales apart so they can breathe. Come January you will have cow hay mix them in this winter with good hay. Just part of farming.


----------



## FarmGirl (May 13, 2019)

It will be 2 weeks before I can spread back on the field to dry as it's raining, and my cows are off to the butcher next week (and they won't touch moldy hay at all. They'd starve themselves first . . . pickiest cows I've ever seen, won't even eat corn). I suppose I could put an ad up for high moisture cow hay and sell cheap for someone else's cows. Way things are looking hay in any shape will be in short supply.

I suppose as a last resort I could make a compost area and throw it all in there (minus strings) and add manure and compost it all out for use as fertilizer in the fall . . .


----------



## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

FarmGirl said:


> It will be 2 weeks before I can spread back on the field to dry as it's raining, and my cows are off to the butcher next week (and they won't touch moldy hay at all. They'd starve themselves first . . . pickiest cows I've ever seen, won't even eat corn). I suppose I could put an ad up for high moisture cow hay and sell cheap for someone else's cows. Way things are looking hay in any shape will be in short supply.
> 
> I suppose as a last resort I could make a compost area and throw it all in there (minus strings) and add manure and compost it all out for use as fertilizer in the fall . . .


Spread them out IN THE BARN, as in a layer of bales. They aren't going to turn into solid mold blocks if you do and then you'll at least eventually have cured if imperfect cow hay to sell to someone else if yours will be gone in a week. If instead you try to find a home for the hay while still damp you'll have to literally give it away.


----------



## FarmGirl (May 13, 2019)

Oh, ok I understand what you are saying


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

If you have straw available stack on top of (as Mike mentions) cut side up in one layer deep (as Hi mentions), loosely and cut the strings. Now, it you really want to add a fan or two blowing across the hay (causing air circulation). You will be 'babying' the hay, but it might just be some of the nicest hay you put up. If you don't cut strings (which I might be inclined to do), then get one or two turkey thermometers.

https://www.amazon.com/KT-THERMO-Thermometer-Instant-Stainless/dp/B01N7KIDW0/ref=sr_1_5?gclid=Cj0KCQjw6IfoBRCiARIsAF6q06tCQ9njoNUd5_nWmkaMBNS4VJqiGifZBl2hbu0B_LnrsZnMIynHjUYaAoQdEALw_wcB&hvadid=241605395448&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9017042&hvnetw=s&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9364934019392340190&hvtargid=kwd-483858039&hydadcr=13934_10209289&keywords=turkey+thermometer&qid=1560435292&s=gateway&sr=8-5

Then monitor the temperature, if below 120 degrees, you are in great shape. 130 degrees better watch closer, 140 degrees get it outside, 150 degrees call the fire department is my understanding.

Just don't stack on bare wood floor for certain (chafe on floor is better).

Larry


----------



## FarmGirl (May 13, 2019)

I should emphasis they are in a CART, not a wagon, so they are in a loose pile, and the cart has barred sides. I do have a moisture/temp tester and temps are below 70, but moisture on some is at 40%, others 20%

I think what i've decided is to dump my cart out (in the barn) and park the baler in as far as I can get, and start busting the bales open, and setting the tension much lower. It will suck for stacking since they will be looser, but they SHOULD dry a bit better at least . . .


----------



## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

If this hay has been in the bale for 36 hours already I think its too late to break the bales and gain anything. I would empty the cart and set the bales on their narrow edge and let them air dry under a roof and in a breeze. Leave them that way for a couple weeks at least. The key to salvaging a bad moisture situation in hay is to let the bales breathe.


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

FarmGirl said:


> I think what i've decided is to dump my cart out (in the barn) and park the baler in as far as I can get, and start busting the bales open, and setting the tension much lower. It will suck for stacking since they will be looser, but they SHOULD dry a bit better at least . . .


Stacking??? Hope you are leaving a far amount of space between, the breathing Gear mentions, is moisture leaving the bale, it needs a place to evaporate. Hence, the leaving barn doors open and/or putting fans on hay.

Here is a piece from out local ag college, talks about temperature monitoring.

HTH

Larry


----------



## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

FarmGirl said:


> I should emphasis they are in a CART, not a wagon, so they are in a loose pile, and the cart has barred sides. I do have a moisture/temp tester and temps are below 70, but moisture on some is at 40%, others 20%
> 
> I think what i've decided is to dump my cart out (in the barn) and park the baler in as far as I can get, and start busting the bales open, and setting the tension much lower. It will suck for stacking since they will be looser, but they SHOULD dry a bit better at least . . .


Loose in the cart is an awful way to dry hay. Some of the spots get lots of air, others are jammed so tight against their neighbor that they won't breath AT ALL. Getting them out and just putting them in a single layer on some chaff is really what you should be aiming to do. Then wait. Rebaling them now is just making you work that you won't get paid for in gains.


----------



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I had a substantial amount of rain catch me as my hay was about dry. Don't know exact total but it was between half and inch, based on readings of nearby places. I tedd it out the next afternoon and baled the next day. Granted I had full sun exposure and 95 degree days with super low humidity. I baled some hay into squares and finished the rest of the field in rounds. I came back to pick up the bales that evening as rain was heading my way and humidity was being absorbed on the outside of the bales. I spread them out on the loft floor cut side up so they could air out before stacking 2 weeks later.

I busted a bale to see how the insides were and no heat or signs of mold.


----------



## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

I baled up to 20% dew/ground moisture bales last cutting of last year. They felt damp but over winter they did dry out well and had good color and smell without a hint of dust.

So if I were in your dilemma I'd sort the 20% ones out from the 40%. The 40% ones are probably toast already so either feed them up now or split them apart to save what you can. Then set the 20% bales out to dry; you should have no problems with them.


----------



## FarmGirl (May 13, 2019)

Ok, I think I have enough space on my pallets to spread them out endwise and let them dry


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

If you haven't dumped yet, assuming cart means a bale basket /ez-trail, we have had luck parking in shop and pointing box fans into the load from below. Need to leave a door open as its amazing how much moisture will be released over next 2 days.


----------



## Ranger518 (Aug 6, 2016)

WTFG


----------



## FarmGirl (May 13, 2019)

I've been fortunate to have nice cool, windy weather and have been keeping the barn doors open (and luckily no major rain). Moisture does seem to be dropping. Temp vs moisture has been weird though, some lower moisture bales were high temp (over 74), while some high moisture bales were low temp (70 or less). I had about 3 bales so far clock in at over 35% and they were easily 80-100lbs so I wasn't going to bother splitting.

Anything 20% and under I let be and anything 20-30% I split and re-baled simply because they were too stinkin heavy and I can get a bale and a half out of them for selling. Luckily hay is in short supply and prices are holding strong!


----------



## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

I've seen a lot of people this year selling wet hay thinking they were gold bricks.


----------



## glinka (Jul 5, 2012)

Does spreading salt on baled hay really do anything?


----------

