# Some basic information for baling hay,



## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

_A fellow asked about the Alfalfa Training Seminar. 
This was my response. It has most of the charts and graphs that apply to baling hay during the day time. _ 
For the Intensive Alfalfa Training Seminar, I knew all the speakers from one source or another. About three are from the Mid West and two from the West. 
It was a little more directed to the CCA's in the room, needing Educational Credit Hours. Some of their truths do not apply HERE in Central Texas. If you start with some background knowledge it is all useful information.

The following are sources of information for hay harvesting in a humid climate. 
Here are a number of Extension bulletins and talks given at conferences.

This one is for a more arid climate.
http://lubbock.tamu.edu/othercrops/pdf/alfalfa/nmsuharvestlosses.pdf

This one may not apply if you bale at night. Still the information is valid. When they are mentioning humidity they really mean the humidity down next to the windrow or even inside the windrow.
http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/pubnwsltr/TRIM/5811.pdf
You may have to translate some of the values to the units we are used to. Sometimes that is simply moving the decimal point. 
For my self I printed an extra set of graphs and then enlarged the graphs in a copy machine. The final printing was usually on graph paper to aid in following the information. This way the teaser information became useful information for production. In this form the graphs are not what a researcher would use but they work for production.

This is from Arkansas and interesting reading. You may find it does not translate directly to your conditions. http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSA-2005.pdf

Who would have thunked Virginia would have something that applies out here but the reading is interesting and the graph that is Figure 1 is very useful, http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/ageng/442-454/442-454.pdf

This is the power point slides from a Utah meeting put on by a Wisconsin Extension Forage Specialist. 
http://utahhay.usu.edu/files/uploads/UHFS07 pdfs for web/Undersander Swathing and Conditioning.pdf
Unfortunately there is no dialog for each slide. 
Look at pages 4, 5, 9*, 10, 29* you probably will want to print off the charts and enlarge them for use. 
9* I find very useful. Though it uses pan evaporation you can subscribe to a weather service, as I do, or use their free forecast. http://www.awis.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/zipwx.uncgi To get yours go to www.awis.com, and type in your zip code into the block. The pan evaporation looks like this Pan Evaporation(inches) .18 .24 .26

The people at AWIS the areas covered are rather large. The smaller the foot print the more germane the information is to your situation. Their forecast have proven very helpful in my more Spring and Fall Humid climate. True in July & August we usually have drought conditions. 
If you think you want to subscribe then contact Karl Harker VP [email protected] . I think the janitor at that company has a Ph.D. and has both an agricultural and weather background. If you do subscribe to their service get a name of someone you can ask questions of. 
Added note, I use 70% of pan evaporation as the Evaporation and Transpiration number. Not accurate enough for research but it suffices for irrigation if you need it.

29* use it in conjunction with humidity, In general 90% humidity cured hay will have 40% moisture. At 65% humidity to roughly 50%, remember this is at or inside the windrow, the hay will have the moisture to bale with minimal leaf shatter and/or mold.
Page 44 the middle blade is to pick up down hay, while the other plades are supposed to reduce "ASH" i.e. dirt.

This one is slightly dated as he is using mostly 9' mower conditioners, but the principles definitely apply.
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/forage/wfc/proceedings2003/speedhaydrying.htm

Interesting reading. 
http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/bse/442-106/442-106.html

http://www.delmhorst.com/products_hay.html
Just in case you do not have on the go moisture testing. 
Personally I like to use their analog meter with the needle and hold the button down with a C clamp. Watching the moisture levels swing all over the place is instructional.

Another one from Arkansas. http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/MP434.pdf
I find this interesting reading. They include some of the scatter points in their charts to give us an idea of the variability inherent in agriculture.

I have found this information useful in producing hay in my conditions. Some good reading can also be found at www.alfalfa.org

There are some universal truths that apply to all hay production. Problem is what is presented as universally true really is only applicable at the area the research has been done. A case in point is auto toxicity of established alfalfa to new seedling alfalfa plants. That may be true in Ohio and North Carolina, but it is not true in Bell County Texas.

I recommend California, and Kentucky for their conference proceedings (copy of the talks given) Both have archived proceedings that when read can be interesting, entertaining, and instructional. 
http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/+symposium/2008/

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage/ProceedingsPage.htm


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## chetlenox (Jun 5, 2008)

Thanks HayWilson, great post! I've archived this and will spend some time this evening looking through your quoted publications.

Quick question, what is the pan evaporation number in the AWIS forecast? It sounds like it's an evaporation rate based on temp/humidity/cloud cover, but I'm not exactly sure.

Oops, nevermind, found the definition on a link on the AWIS website:

Pan Evaporation: A forecast of the amount of water (in inches) that will evaporate from a standard 4-foot pan. The water evaporating from the surface of a bare field is approximately 37% of the water that evaporates from the pan. Pan evaporation is routinely used in irrigation scheduling and water budgeting.

Chet.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Chet,

Time between cutting and CP is just about a perfect fit with one I have been using, except yours shows the scatter and has a much better usefulness.

Say if you can make it down to Waco and the HOT Fair Grounds for the BIG Conference I will be there. In the morning at the Beef Presentation, and in the afternoon at the forage conference. Can't miss me as I will be the ugly old man chairing the Forage Conference.


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## chetlenox (Jun 5, 2008)

What is the BIG conference? Something going on in Waco this winter? If ya'll are talking forage, I would be down there in a flash. I've got tons to learn and have been looking for some general education. We went to the Texoma farm and ranch show last year. There weren't any sessions on growing forage in particular, but my wife and I found the horse nutruition class very helpful to understanding our customers and what makes good hay from the horses' perspective.

Waco is just right down the road from me. You are hosting one of the sessions?

Chet.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Chet.

I see the news media has let us down. Again?
This is a two day equipment show, and numerous presentations lasting 2 - 3 hours each. This year it is Monday & Tuesday, February 2 & 3.

As I said I expect to be at the Monday Morning Beef Cattle session and have to be at the Monday Forage session. This year the forage session will be about grazing tame pastures as well as touch on range grasses. There will be a BBQ meal included in the registration cost. There will be an inspirational speaker at the noon meal. 
Money raised goes to college scholarships to students from all parts of the Blackland area.

The Tuesday sessions will be more costly and much of them will involve a refresher course for Private Chemical Applicators or training for those who wish to become Licensed Private Chemical Applicators.


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## chetlenox (Jun 5, 2008)

Argh, that's Monday/Tuesday. I don't think I can make that due to work. It's a shame too, I googled "BIG" and "Waco" and found some information. The Monday afternoon forage session sounds like something I'd learn from.

Chet.


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