Anyone made any hay yet?

[Pan mixer]

I should have cut on Thursday - we've had 4 good days and 2 more forecast now. But they forecast rain all weekend!

Everyone makes good hay with hindsight.

You wouldn't have made it here, my next hay fields have some ducks in them that are swimming.

 

[renewablejohn]

Well the weather can do as it likes for the next fortnight I have booked a hay making slot for the first week in September.

 

[X344chap]

Another week of rain forecast with next week showing as dry - which always turns to rain as the next week approaches.

 

[Clever Dic]

Hay is a much harder beast to master than getting haylage to 65DM.
The second cut I have cleared this season which is getting close 700 acres has all I think at some point had a rain on it. Not enough or for long enough periods to bugger up fresh ryegrass that has life in it . In fact I actually think bar one 100 acre block that did get too much weather I have made as good a quality as I could have wished.
Hay must be a bloody nightmare but you can't keep leaving ryegrass to go over the top because if the weather pattern stays you really are fudged.
Having said all the above I haven't even tried to make hay and I have a bleedin dryer.

 

[Grassman]

Forecast is rubbish this week !!

 

[Bob c]

no where as much as you Cleaver Dic about a 100 acres each year
putting mower on thursday morning ,.
wife- what you doing?
me = going to mow cow shed
wife- your joking wright
me - no
got it baled sunday and carted as well in the dry,.... started raining at midnight
bit tight on time

 

[rob1]

Forecast is rubbish this week !!

last night today was meant to be good, this morning rain forecast from 2 till midnight now its going to be cloudy but dry FFS how can you plan when they cant even forecast four hours ahead

 

[bobk]

last night today was meant to be good, this morning rain forecast from 2 till midnight now its going to be cloudy but dry FFS how can you plan when they cant even forecast four hours ahead

And grass is getting worse by the day .

 

[rob1]

And grass is getting worse by the day .

At least all mine is now second or third cut, so glad I cut everything in june when the weather here was good, some crops were decent but some were very poor due to late sheep but at least they have some decent grass on now, just need a couple of decent weeks before mid sept and we shall all wonder what the fuss was

 

[4course]

finished baling the last 1/3 of mainly ryegrass field cut 10 days ago turned out remarkably well bit bleached but still leafy and looks a decent amount by the number of bales, did slack of a bit will weigh some and see ,took a risk and stopped when we got to the heavier side of field last night, as sun had gone, glad the forecast was wrong this time in our favour all ended up in rounds rather than squares as couldnt get the baler and no time for little ones but if it rains overnight all safe and if it doesnt we are still combining and working land across the way, cant do everything as well as cope with this weather

 

[Ukjay]

I will end up baling and burning mine if the weather keeps takin the pi $$.

 

[jemski]

Please let this be true!!!!

 

[X344chap]

This might be a stupid question - but what do folks use to determine DM or moisture levels in hay or silage?

 

[Spencer]

This might be a stupid question - but what do folks use to determine DM or moisture levels in hay or silage?

Experience

 

[X344chap]

Nothing to beat it - except I'd like to bring things into the 21st century and apply a bit of science and consistency to it. I've made a lot of excellent hay - and a fair amount of second rate stuff as well - but I couldn't tell you exactly why.

 

[Pan mixer]

Nothing to beat it - except I'd like to bring things into the 21st century and apply a bit of science and consistency to it. I've made a lot of excellent hay - and a fair amount of second rate stuff as well - but I couldn't tell you exactly why.

Draminsky hay meter is what I use when I am in doubt.

 

[Bob c]

Draminsky hay meter is what I use when I am in doubt.

got one here as well but can vary on readings

 

[Pan mixer]

got one here as well but can vary on readings

Two of my mates have them too and they give a different reading to each other.

I usually do an average of ten stabbings to find out what I want to know.

They are no good when the hay is very freshly baled though - it needs leaving an hour or two.

I use mine to find the bales that can be stacked quickly as against those that need to ripen a bit. I know that you can tell by handling the bales but I can't be bothered to pick up dozens to test them.

 

[Clever Dic]

In fresh hay I don't trust any instruments based on electrical conductivity as they don't read all the trapped stem moisture in the nodes.
http://gazeeka.com.au
This I bought 2 years ago and when tested alongside oven dry matter it was within 1/2 % . Works via microwave and is superb , I completely recommend.

 

[FG.]

I've got a Delmhorst FX2000, purchased from Big Bale South.
I bought mine with the extra baler mounted kit.
I only use it when big baling, in catchy years like this.
Just to give me an idea what's happening.