Wilt Times

[Jerry]

Unusual dilemma after the last few years of easy haylage making weather.....

Debating as to whether I cut grass tomorrow. Forecast is OK if nothing special. Not a huge amount of sun but some breeze.

But looks like we would have to bale and wrap by Sunday evening. So Only a short wilt.

Plus the crop is heavy and of course the ground is damp under it.

Id like to cut as the quality is starting to go, its perm pasture that normally makes lovely sheep/horse haylage that I typically bale 24 hours before it would make hay.

So would the wilt be enough?

 

[neilo]

I cut similar yesterday, ted today & tomorrow and baler booked for Friday.
Sheep had if grazed pretty tight in early April, but there’s a huge crop there now. Starting to head so needs cutting before quality disappears imo. A wet week next week would see it getting well past it’s best.

 

[Werzle]

Unusual dilemma after the last few years of easy haylage making weather.....

Debating as to whether I cut grass tomorrow. Forecast is OK if nothing special. Not a huge amount of sun but some breeze.

But looks like we would have to bale and wrap by Sunday evening. So Only a short wilt.

Plus the crop is heavy and of course the ground is damp under it.

Id like to cut as the quality is starting to go, its perm pasture that normally makes lovely sheep/horse haylage that I typically bale 24 hours before it would make hay.

So would the wilt be enough?

Yes plenty

 

[Bill dog]

Ditto! Just cut and tedded this morning. Hope to bale sat / Sunday. If it makes dry silage , grand. If it’s a bit dryer then I’ll call it haylage , and the Mrs will nick some for her horses !

 

[Jerry]

I cut similar yesterday, ted today & tomorrow and baler booked for Friday.
Sheep had if grazed pretty tight in early April, but there’s a huge crop there now. Starting to head so needs cutting before quality disappears imo. A wet week next week would see it getting well past it’s best.

Yep, its headed here so quality is going quickly.

 

[Gedd]

How wet is to wet people cut and pit it quickly

 

[gone up the hill]

How wet is to wet people cut and pit it quickly

One chap in the dairy section cut in a very small weather window, as soon as he unhitched the mower he hitched the trailed forager up and chopped all night until he was finished..

Two days later he had to un sheet the clamp and move 200/300+ tons into another pit as the clamp face had badly slipped....

 

[Gedd]

We have 35 acres cut yesterday rained on today normally bale (contractor) as haylage but won't be anywhere as dry by Saturday will it be ok to bale wetter/greener dont want to miss opportunity with contractor its to feed to fattening cattle and ewes

 

[steveR]

I cut similar yesterday, ted today & tomorrow and baler booked for Friday.
Sheep had if grazed pretty tight in early April, but there’s a huge crop there now. Starting to head so needs cutting before quality disappears imo. A wet week next week would see it getting well past it’s best.

I have 15ac that went past its best two weeks ago...

Knocking some off today and more tomorrow, if I can book a Fusion for Sat afternoon/Sun morning, else it'll be a smaller quantity and my old wrapper...

 

[steveR]

Unusual dilemma after the last few years of easy haylage making weather.....

Debating as to whether I cut grass tomorrow. Forecast is OK if nothing special. Not a huge amount of sun but some breeze.

But looks like we would have to bale and wrap by Sunday evening. So Only a short wilt.

Plus the crop is heavy and of course the ground is damp under it.

Id like to cut as the quality is starting to go, its perm pasture that normally makes lovely sheep/horse haylage that I typically bale 24 hours before it would make hay.

So would the wilt be enough?

The one thing is that the grass is starting to die back, so hopefully a shorter drying time needed...

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I’ll be mowing 40 acres tomorrow, will bale it Saturday
Was going to cut on Tuesday....glad I didn’t after this mornings rain

 

[neilo]

We have 35 acres cut yesterday rained on today normally bale (contractor) as haylage but won't be anywhere as dry by Saturday will it be ok to bale wetter/greener dont want to miss opportunity with contractor its to feed to fattening cattle and ewes

I cut yesterday with a view that if we did get the forecast rain overnight/this morning, it wouldn’t do any harm. A few reasonable days forecast here, before being unsettled on Sunday/Monday. I considered it worth taking a chance, rather than end up waiting another week or so.

It’s nice to get bales a bit drier, but only to reduce numbers of bales/cost really once you get above 30% DM or so imo. If it ends up at that, it just costs more wrapping & carting water. Plenty of good pit silage made at 25-30% over the years.

My mower humming away was obviously noticed, as neighbour was on too today. I hope haven’t buggered it up for everyone.

 

[HarryB97]

3 days of wilting time is fine we do anything from 2-4 days for bales. Make sure your spread it full width with the mower, tighten the conditioner up as I imagine there's little clover etc in it for leaf loss as it's pp? and then ted out on saturday and maybe sunday morning if you're worried.

 

[Pan mixer]

Drier is better I think.

My sheep tend to prolapse on wet stuff. horses need fibre with no sugar or protein left or else they get fat (most of the horses aren't worked that much and none belong to me I hasten to add)

Less straw required with the suckler cows with drier stuff.

My Angus yearlings and calves don't need that much rocket fuel either or they go fat too.

A day before it would be hay, I like 20 - 25% on the probe (but never know till after though)

Made some too wet this year already but plenty more to do.

 

[Pan mixer]

PS as mentioned in other threads, quick tedding after the mower wins a day.

 

[Agri Spec Solicitor]

PS as mentioned in other threads, quick tedding after the mower wins a day.

Would this quick tedding be worthwhile if the moco spread full width?

 

[Jerry]

PS as mentioned in other threads, quick tedding after the mower wins a day.

I typically go after about 4 hours with the tedder. Let's the bare ground dry a little and then flick grass out.

 

[Boohoo]

How wet is to wet people cut and pit it quickly

If the standing grass is dry there's no reason why you can't cut and lift straight away. Over the years there has been plenty of good silage made with a double chop. Plenty cut with a double chop in the rain too, but for me that's too wet.

 

[Boohoo]

Would this quick tedding be worthwhile if the moco spread full width?

Not if it's left sitting up and the air can get through it.

 

[Bill dog]

I used to rent a 2 acre paddock off a horsey neighbour , and cut and baled it every summer . Access was through another neighbour ‘s field as the horsey plonker installed ornate gates and reduced the access to under 10 feet !
So my contractor used to cut it with the front mower, and bale it directly behind with his fusion . Not much wilting there, but field done !