What happens if my first cut of hay isn’t done until mid August or not at all?

[AgentJenkins]

A quick background story. We moved to Yorkshire to an 18 acre equestrian (I use that term loosely) property in October 2023. Everything is new to me hence my questions!

I have two paddocks about 8 acres each. Since April I have been trying to arrange for a contractor to put me on their books so when the time is ready the hay can be made, wrapped and stacked for me. This has proved difficult but anyway, we found a contractor to do all this but timings are off and the hay has still not been made (mainly due to the weather). As I type the sun is out but it rained overnight, the new grass is pushing through and the old grass is dropping seeds and dying back - can hay still be made or should I wait until the new grass is ready to cut for hay?

 

[spin cycle]

I cut hay 3rd week of August last year....all gobbled up by nags

 

[ladycrofter]

Just make it when the weather's right. You will always be down the list for contractors with that small acreage. Lot of hay made in August. Unless you're selling it for racehorses it doesn't matter. Some years you can make excellent hay, others it's just whatever you can get made.

Get yourself a tractor and tedder and learn about it. Most contractors won't be arsed turning up over and over to ted your hay you're lucky if you can find one.

 

[ladycrofter]

Also people go on about it too much. You're not making a part for the effing space shuttle .

The best tedding advice I could give you is if you don't know what to do with it, leave it alone a few days. The second bit of advice is to lay it onto dry ground.

 

[DrDunc]

Don't panic!

Plenty time yet for horse hay. "Grass" consists of many varieties of plant. Some will set seed in May (early's), some June (intermediates) some July (lates)

Don't cut it when the ground is sodden. You'll only contaminate it with soil and promote poisonous listeria bacteria in the bales

Better wait until the conditions are right. If you're making hay (>75% dry matter) to be stored dry inside, it's easier when the grass has set seed and starts to die back. If it's to be wrapped in plastic, this is called haylage. This will be 40 to 60% dry matter and if "made" correctly is best for horses as it should contain no dust

Don't rush the job, ask advice from the contractor, and learn from them

Then pay them what they need, and do so on time!

 

[yoki]

Same theory still applies.

Cut, get as dry as possible, bale, wrap if necessary (this year it most likely will be!).

 

[ladycrofter]

Oh yeah, and don't do that tidy farmer thing and bring it inside too soon once it's made You'll soon be learning what the words "thermophilic bacteria" mean
14 days minimum outside. The curing process is actually due to bacteria on the grass and it creates a hell of a lot of concentrated heat when it's wrapped up tight, instead of blowing about in the breeze.

*Top tip from volunteer firefighter brother: If you have acetylene bottles, propane, or otherwise in your shed, please don't store them at the back of the hay that's caught on fire

 

[AgentJenkins]

Just make it when the weather's right. You will always be down the list for contractors with that small acreage. Lot of hay made in August. Unless you're selling it for racehorses it doesn't matter. Some years you can make excellent hay, others it's just whatever you can get made.

Get yourself a tractor and tedder and learn about it. Most contractors won't be arsed turning up over and over to ted your hay you're lucky if you can find one.

Next year I will definitely be doing it all myself. I have a little Massey Ferguson 35 that we have just got running smoothly again And hopefully a roof on the barn so won’t need to wrap.

 

[Dry Rot]

Get a contractor to cut it and bale it. Those items are not so time critical. He can do these on the way to a big job. Get the tractor and tedder, as others have said, and learn how to judge when hay is fit to bale. Don't panic if it gets rained on. Ideally, you need an experienced neighbour for advice when you need it.

 

[Rich_ard]

I cut hay 3rd week of August last year....all gobbled up by nags

Can horses eat silage? (Without causing any harm)

 

[betternextyear]

Can horses eat silage? (Without causing any harm)

yes, but if its too wet and acidic it will give them the sh$ts

 

[L P]

What country do you live in that you can store hay outdoors for a fortnight without it being rained on?! Much better in the shed and stacked loose than under a tarp, sweats for fun. The bacteria and mold grow on wet hay which creates the reaction with sugars. If its so wet you need to store it outdoors you should wrap it!

Oh yeah, and don't do that tidy farmer thing and bring it inside too soon once it's made You'll soon be learning what the words "thermophilic bacteria" mean
14 days minimum outside. The curing process is actually due to bacteria on the grass and it creates a hell of a lot of concentrated heat when it's wrapped up tight, instead of blowing about in the breeze.

*Top tip from volunteer firefighter brother: If you have acetylene bottles, propane, or otherwise in your shed, please don't store them at the back of the hay that's caught on fire

 

[Rich_ard]

What country do you live in that you can store hay outdoors for a fortnight without it being rained on?! Much better in the shed and stacked loose than under a tarp, sweats for fun. The bacteria and mold grow on wet hay which creates the reaction with sugars. If its so wet you need to store it outdoors you should wrap it!

Scotland? It never rains after its baled just before!

 

[yoki]

Can horses eat silage? (Without causing any harm)

Horses make sheep look positively robust!

 

[spin cycle]

Can horses eat silage? (Without causing any harm)

Horses make sheep look positively robust!

what he said richard

vet once said 'horse intestines are not designed for life'

silage is a no.....haylage of really good sort yes

 

[steveR]

yes, but if its too wet and acidic it will give them the sh$ts

Bit like cattle ....

 

[Rich_ard]

what he said richard

vet once said 'horse intestines are not designed for life'

silage is a no.....haylage of really good sort yes

I don't know how to make hayage. I'm not feeding horses so shouldn't matter.

 

[spin cycle]

I don't know how to make hayage. I'm not feeding horses so shouldn't matter.

haylage is made by ppl who cut grass for hay then panic and wrap it after it's silage but before it's hay

meow

 

[steveR]

Get a contractor to cut it and bale it. Those items are not so time critical. He can do these on the way to a big job. Get the tractor and tedder, as others have said, and learn how to judge when hay is fit to bale. Don't panic if it gets rained on. Ideally, you need an experienced neighbour for advice when you need it.

Even better to get an experienced neighbour to do teh work....

On the doorstep, and can possibly fit it in with his own works?

 

[Rich_ard]

haylage is made by ppl who cut grass for hay then panic and wrap it after it's silage but before it's hay

meow

Rained on " hay"