# fresh cut ---- then rained on



## rank (Apr 15, 2009)

So many times I've heard that freshly cut hay won't "be hurt" by a rain. But no one has ever been able to tell me why they say that They just kinda look at me when I ask.

I have some theories....anyone care to share theirs?


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## enos (Dec 6, 2009)

Rained on day of mowing or next I find no affect on grass as long as it wasn't tedded. Getting it rained on just before or around baling time just wrecks it. If it is still green and full of vegetative moisture I never sweat it. Here's one for you, have you ever noticed that when it does rain on it, after tedding moisture off it seems to dry faster? Something I've come across over the years, mind you after it gets rained on maybe I just don't give a $hit any more and bale it anyway, ain't worth much.


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## rank (Apr 15, 2009)

enos said:


> Rained on day of mowing or next I find no affect on grass as long as it wasn't tedded. Getting it rained on just before or around baling time just wrecks it.


Yeah but why?



enos said:


> Here's one for you, have you ever noticed that when it does rain on it, after tedding moisture off it seems to dry faster?


Yep. Sometimes the dew is so heavy it's like a wet dish rag but after we tedd it we can bale in a few hours.


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## enos (Dec 6, 2009)

Early rain does not effect it as bad because the grass is not cured at all in my opinion but I may be wrong.Standing grass can get rained on, Doesn't go moldy or wreck it so if it's just cut maybe it doesn't know any better yet, thinks it's still alive


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## Ridgerunner (Jul 10, 2009)

Funny how everyone uses words like "wreck" but no one can give a clear description of how the hay is actually damaged by the rain.

I have noticed that the dew often makes the hay just as wet as most rains.

I have found that a heavy rain often pushes the hay down against the ground. My tedder is not able to pick all of it up, so some of the hay is lost.

Rained on hay thay lays damp on the ground for a couple of days will often turn dark. It looks like there is a dark colored mold on the outside of the stalks. Not sure if the integrity of the hay is actually harmed.


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## Production Acres (Jul 29, 2008)

The cell structure in freshly mowed hay has not yet dried out enough to be affected by rain. In hay about to be baled that gets .5" rain on it, the nutrients are literatly washed out of the plant (just like making tea). If you want "proof" - you can do a forage test, or you can observe that a windrow that gets rained on for a week before it is baled will leave a greener strip of hay in the next hay cutting than the rest of the field. Yes, almost always you can observe that you can see mold spots on hay that has been rained on on day 3 or 4.


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## MikeRF (Dec 21, 2009)

Heh Rank, 
Do you think the fact that your hay has been through a double roll conditioner at cutting would make a difference to the amount of damage an early rain would do? If it is getting out of that vegetative stage quicker you would think the damage would be increased.

Incidentally one of the best batches we made in 09 had a light rain at 18hrs after cutting. It had been forcasted so we hadn't tedded. 
In summers like we have had for the last 3 you have no choice but to cut the day before rain when the biggest windows we are getting is 2 days. Where do you guys draw the line though? Last Saturday we were forecast 80% chance of 20-25mm of rain. I didn't cut on Friday thinking that would damage even day 2 hay. Rain narrowly missed us on both sides and I have sat on two days of great weather with rain coming today. Frustrating!!!


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## Hayguy (Jun 4, 2008)

I think the maturity of the hay has a lot to do with the amount of rain damage sustained shortly after cutting. Alfalfa cut in the bud stage seems hardly affected compared to full flowered hay. Maybe there's less of the waxy layer on the stems as it matures?


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## rank (Apr 15, 2009)

MikeRF said:


> Heh Rank,
> Do you think the fact that your hay has been through a double roll conditioner at cutting would make a difference to the amount of damage an early rain would do? If it is getting out of that vegetative stage quicker you would think the damage would be increased.


It probably does cause more damage but I don't really now for sure because ever since we started macerating we haven't had any hay get rained on. Probably ~ 3000 acres since we've had any rained on hay. No kidding....well maybe a few acres have been sprinkled on but nothing more than a dew really.



MikeRF said:


> In summers like we have had for the last 3 you have no choice but to cut the day before rain when the biggest windows we are getting is 2 days. Where do you guys draw the line though?


Yesterday they said an 80% chance of 10mm today. We didn't cut based on that forecast. They were right. It stopped raining ~10:00 AM.Weather Network says it's supposed to be nice (tomorrow) Friday and a 60% chance of 10mm on Saturday.

Today we started cutting at noon and he should get 100 acres done. So basically we have ~4 hrs of curing today (Thurs) + ~8 hours tomorrow. Depending on how the forecast changes we will either bale late Fri afternoon or Saturday. We have a realistic chance of getting that all baled tomorrow.

The key for us is capacity. The haybine can easily drop 100 acres in a day. With 3 balers we can bale 50 - 60 acres per hour so we can wait until 3-4 pm and still get 100 acres baled that day.


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## rank (Apr 15, 2009)

rank said:


> Today we started cutting at noon and he should get 100 acres done. So basically we have ~4 hrs of curing today (Thurs) + ~8 hours tomorrow. Depending on how the forecast changes we will either bale late Fri afternoon or Saturday. We have a realistic chance of getting that all baled tomorrow.


Update: We got 80 acres cut that day (Thurs). Baled it Friday afternoon starting at 5:00 pm. Got her done.


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## Hayboy1 (Jul 19, 2008)

so you think the macerator is worth the money spent?


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## rank (Apr 15, 2009)

Would not have made any hay in 2009 or so far in 2010 without it. Weather windows are too small. The only hay that got baled in out area last year was baleage.


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## MikeRF (Dec 21, 2009)

rank said:


> Would not have made any hay in 2009 or so far in 2010 without it. Weather windows are too small. The only hay that got baled in out area last year was baleage.


That is a pretty impressive cutting/baling schedule!! Presumably you don't still use the Agland now you have the Hesston? What kind of 1st cut yields per acre are you managing to dry in that short a time.


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## rank (Apr 15, 2009)

MikeRF said:


> Presumably you don't still use the Agland now you have the Hesston?


We use both. Actually we bought the Macerator after we bought the Hesston haybine. The Macerator does more to reduce the cure time than the 9180 head.



MikeRF said:


> What kind of 1st cut yields per acre are you managing to dry in that short a time.


Not much. ~1700 lbs/acre.

Plus it's getting late. The hay is old. Alfalfa is in bloom. Makes it cure quicker for sure.


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