# Hay was rained on...is it ruined?



## Robert1617 (Nov 13, 2009)

If your cut grass/hay gets rained on before you get it bailed, do you just have to let it dry in the windrows longer, re-rake it or ted it? Is it ruined or with drying will it be ok? A little new to haying so just looking for some guidance from the experts here on the forum?


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## T&LSkaarfarms (Dec 11, 2011)

Letingt it dry out for a day or two and tedding it would be your best option. If you have no tedder, let it dry out and rake it. When you go through with the side rake drive right along side so you only tip the row. This should basically flip the top down and the bottom up. Whatever you do dont straddle the windrow and keep rolling it. It will only make a tighter windrow, which will dry slower, but if it gets rain again it will never dry out. I have had hay raked that got rained on that I never thought would amount to anything, but usually its ok. Good luck!


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## kyfred (Dec 23, 2009)

I would run the tedder through the hay to get it up on the stubble so air can go through it. I have had to ted hay two or three times before, but the hay still smelled like hay when I rolled it. I know the price of fuel will have a bearing on how many times to ted the hay. Weather and humidity will determine how quickly it drys also. Good Luck


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

Several variables to consider: thickness of hay, how much rain, humidity, and soil conditions (does it drain well or does the ground stay saturated) all effect drying time.

Personally, if the hay is already in windrows, I have never been comfortable trying to dry rained on hay by flipping the windrows. I am concerned that you cannot evenly dry the hay and all it takes is a clump of wet hay to ruin the bale.

If hay gets wet, the tedder is your best friend. I will usually ted it at least once and sometimes twice if the hay really got soaked. Then windrow and bale after I get it dry.

Contrary to what many folks think, rained on hay is not "ruined" - IF (big if) it gets dried and baled properly and dependent on how long it lays out in the field wet. An afternoon shower that passes through is not a problem. A week long rain will turn your hay into brown mulch.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

One thing that I have found works with hay in windrows that gets rained on is to use an inverter to flip the windrow over and then run a pequea style tedder over it. The inverter gets the wet side of the windrow that was laying on the ground to sit on the top and moves the entire windrow to a (hopefully) drier spot on the ground. The tedder then fluffs up the entire windrow to get the air moving through it.

This is about the only time that I have found an inverter to be useful. I have never needed to merge windrows, but they are probably good for that too.

If the hay is still in the swath the best thing would be to just run the tedder over it. Another thing to consider is that the more you handle or work the hay, the more leaf loss (i.e. - less quality) you will have.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Ted it as soon as you can, slow way down on ground speed if you have to but get it spread asap before the mold can start, do it a second time if required.


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