# Rain on new cut hay



## glinka (Jul 5, 2012)

Relatively new to haying, never had rain on new cut hay. But I mowed and the next day it rained the next day. I have heard it won't hurt as long as the hay was laying flat, not raked. Is that true? What do I do now, Let it lay for another day and then rake or rake it once to fluff it up? How much, many times should I rake. This is mostly grass hay for horses.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Rain doesn't hurt near as much on freshly cut hay as hay that is about ready to bale.

Wait to rake it until it gets almost dry to fluff it up and get it dry the rest of the way.

Or Tedder it if you have one available.


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## Dan_GA (Dec 29, 2015)

Tedder it out and it should be fine. You will lose some nutritional value, but not as bad as if it were baling day.


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## Chase72 (Nov 12, 2017)

Get a Tedder and ted it out. Wait a day then rake and bale it. Dan is correct, you will lose some nutrition value but the hay is still good. I've noticed cows like that hay better than hay that never got rained on.


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## glinka (Jul 5, 2012)

Waiting to rake two days after mowing, light mist going on. Hay looked good.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Here is a piece on what hay loses that someone posted before that you MIGHT find of interest.

Larry

PS you got the next two days supposedly here in Michigan.


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## DSLinc1017 (Sep 27, 2009)

Agree with all of the above, In fact I have cut in the rain. Ted Ted and then Ted!

I tend to think of freshly cut hay that gets wet as freshly washed.


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

Yup all the above! Cutting hay as I type in light rain mist, will clear up later today. Once it is dry on top ted it out to fluff it up. No tedder borrow one unless your rake has tedding ability.


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## glinka (Jul 5, 2012)

Let hay sit a day then raked. Lucky the wind picked up that day, helped a lot. Hay baled, looks good. Funny how after baling no rain for three days. Something totally off subject, has anyone ever baled animal parts? Seems I got bits of a snake in bale. See plenty of rabbits running out when I mow but never had parts show up in bales.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

glinka said:


> See plenty of rabbits running out when I mow but never had parts show up in bales.


Possibly totally enclosed (I have to ask the cows what they did with rabbit stew, wait a minute, maybe that's why the crows show up sometimes ).

Larry


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## GNA_farm (Jul 21, 2014)

Had snakes quite a bit when I worked out in Montana, first cut this year I unfortunately hit turkeys on 3 different fields, threw the carcasses into the woods and baled the feathers... not the first time and haven't had anyone complain yet. I'm lucky that I still have yet to pull a deer out but came about 6" away from bambi last week with the moco then almost ran over with tractor when it bolted


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## Ray 54 (Aug 2, 2014)

Sickle bar mower was much more a hazard to fawns than moco with a real out front to get them moving. I have gotten a turkey on her nest a time or 2,but generally they move. Nest is not successful even leaving her a spot uncut just not big enough spot to hide.

Snakes will dry in are heat,and not stink up a bale. Never had a rabbit sit to get baled. Did get a fawn that was under a big windrow. one time. Cut it open out in the field and buzzards took care of fawn,only one cut here and let cows on the hay field at some point. They cleaned up the hay months latter when the chance came.


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## KYhaymaker (Jun 7, 2018)

Better to lose nutritional value by letting hay dry out after a rain than baling it too wet and getting it musty, moldy, or worse.

Glad you got er done.


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