Hay moisture %

[cattleman123]

Just wondering what the safe level is for big...Quadrant...hay...my man said mine was around 14/15% is that a safe level....seems aka at the moment almost zero heat on top of the stack...6 high...Cheers

 

[yellowbelly]

Should be fine at that.
Depends on what kind of meter used. It can 'give a bit' in the next couple of days and may read a bit higher if you test it again.

 

[scrubbuster]

I have never used a moisture meter before. I baled hay that was wind dried with no sun so it wasn't just how I like it but with no sun on the horizon I baled it. Bales are absolutely fine. A friend called in a few days after baling with a meter and it was showing low to mid 20's! Opened a bale 6 days after baling and it's perfect. Suppose the meter could be reading high

 

[A Sales representative]

I have never used a moisture meter before. I baled hay that was wind dried with no sun so it wasn't just how I like it but with no sun on the horizon I baled it. Bales are absolutely fine. A friend called in a few days after baling with a meter and it was showing low to mid 20's! Opened a bale 6 days after baling and it's perfect. Suppose the meter could be reading high

What type of meter? Different types work different ways

 

[texelburger]

What type of meter? Different types work different ways

I'm thinking of buying a meter and was wondering if you,or anyone,has a preference to makes or how they work ? Thanks

 

[Still Farming]

What is temp in middle of stack.
All good hay warms a bit.

 

[A Sales representative]

I'm thinking of buying a meter and was wondering if you,or anyone,has a preference to makes or how they work ? Thanks

As with everything you pay your money and take your choice, this is an area when spending more, you get more.

Hand probes, give a you a snap shot of where the probe is in the bale but won’t measure moisture locked inside the stem, and they only work while your testing the bale and not baling. They can give different readings depending on battery charge and which angle they go into the bale and bale compression.

Chamber mounted pads, better than a probe as they measure all the time but still have their limitations, they only measure what they touch on the outside of the bale, their accuracy can be affected by bale density, humidity and static electricity build up during the day, without brand naming I have seen an 8% moisture difference on a test baler compared to microwave/conductivity starwheels.

The most accurate options are baler mounted, microwaves are normally mounted at the rear of a bale chamber on a big baler, they measure through the bale by oscillating the moisture molecules and measures the signal received, accuracy +/- 1% between 6-35% moisture, non contact but needs to be calibrated between crops and bale density.
The other option is electrical conductivity, either 2 starwheels for square or insulated discs for round balers. They system sends a 10 volt charge through the bale 9 times per second as the bale is made, through the bale with one sensor sending and one receiving, the voltage drop is measured and converted to a moisture reading. This system has a working range of 7-70% on a large baler with an accuracy level of +/- 1% between 7 and 35% moisture. Bale contact needed but they do not need to be calibrated for different crops/bale density.

Any questions please feel free to message me

 

[Still Farming]

Lots of variations then!

 

[cattleman123]

What type of meter? Different types work different ways

In the baler...that's all I know..New Holland super quad

 

[Derrick Hughes]

A hand held is useless for hay , it will tell you 10 days after baling if you have cocked up though

 

[texelburger]

As with everything you pay your money and take your choice, this is an area when spending more, you get more.

Hand probes, give a you a snap shot of where the probe is in the bale but won’t measure moisture locked inside the stem, and they only work while your testing the bale and not baling. They can give different readings depending on battery charge and which angle they go into the bale and bale compression.

Chamber mounted pads, better than a probe as they measure all the time but still have their limitations, they only measure what they touch on the outside of the bale, their accuracy can be affected by bale density, humidity and static electricity build up during the day, without brand naming I have seen an 8% moisture difference on a test baler compared to microwave/conductivity starwheels.

The most accurate options are baler mounted, microwaves are normally mounted at the rear of a bale chamber on a big baler, they measure through the bale by oscillating the moisture molecules and measures the signal received, accuracy +/- 1% between 6-35% moisture, non contact but needs to be calibrated between crops and bale density.
The other option is electrical conductivity, either 2 starwheels for square or insulated discs for round balers. They system sends a 10 volt charge through the bale 9 times per second as the bale is made, through the bale with one sensor sending and one receiving, the voltage drop is measured and converted to a moisture reading. This system has a working range of 7-70% on a large baler with an accuracy level of +/- 1% between 7 and 35% moisture. Bale contact needed but they do not need to be calibrated for different crops/bale density.

Any questions please feel free to message me

Thanks for the detailed reply.I was thinking more of a hand probe just to give us an idea when the contractors come baling.In your experience are any of the hand held ones better than others ?

 

[Boohoo]

A hand held is useless for hay , it will tell you 10 days after baling if you have cocked up though

Will a baler mounted one be any better?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Thanks for the detailed reply.I was thinking more of a hand probe just to give us an idea when the contractors come baling.In your experience are any of the hand held ones better than others ?

Like I said waste of time they tell you nothing . They cant detect moisture in the stem . Very dangerous weapon

 

[A Sales representative]

Thanks for the detailed reply.I was thinking more of a hand probe just to give us an idea when the contractors come baling.In your experience are any of the hand held ones better than others ?

I don’t have a recommendation for hand probes, but I have 2 that I keep with me in the summer, Delmhorst and Agreto (this one does temp and moisture) I will say though I use them as a guide, I’ve used them both in a bale and the customers dramanski had all 3 lined up in a row and all 3 gave a different reading

 

[A Sales representative]

Will a baler mounted one be any better?

Baler mounted are better as they measure all the time not just when you decide to stop and test a bale.
But the baler mounted systems must measure through the bale and not just what it touches. By that I mean some manufacturers of large square balers sell a moisture pad system, one each side of the bale chamber, unfortunately theses only measure on the surface of the bale and they take an average of the two readings.
As mentioned in previous post one major baler manufacturer took to describing there twin pad system as a “moisture indicator” as there readings where less than accurate.

 

[Pan mixer]

I use a Draminsky.

It is fine to test a bale as long as the bale has been baled for 2 hours or more.

I usually use it to decide whether to stack hay in the shed properly or to leave them in cattle sheds for a while before stacking properly.

2 neighbours have the same meters, they all read differently by a percent or two when used in the same place on the same bale.

 

[Boohoo]

Baler mounted are better as they measure all the time not just when you decide to stop and test a bale.
But the baler mounted systems must measure through the bale and not just what it touches. By that I mean some manufacturers of large square balers sell a moisture pad system, one each side of the bale chamber, unfortunately theses only measure on the surface of the bale and they take an average of the two readings.
As mentioned in previous post one major baler manufacturer took to describing there twin pad system as a “moisture indicator” as there readings where less than accurate.

Had missed the bit in your previous post about measuring through the bale. I've seen moisture pad systems and couldn't see how they could be reliable. I only bale hay in small bales and there can be a big difference between the two sides of the bale.