The Art and Science of Putting Up Hay Mylen Bohle Area Extension Agronomist Greg Mohnen Manager, McGinnis Ranch
What Are Your Goals? Sell Hay Feed Hay to Your Animals Life Style Good Steward of the Land Responsible Neighbor Participate in the Industry Central Oregon Hay Growers Association Oregon Hay and Forage Association Oregon Forage and Grassland Council Other Ag Organizations
What Do You Want From a Hay Field? Yield Feed Quality High Carb/Sugar Forage Low Carb/Sugar Forage Palatability Durability Longevity Aesthetics
Efficiency of Utilization with Various Harvesting Methods Method of Harvest Percent Lost (%) Percent Utilization (%) Continuous Grazing 50 50 Rotational Grazing 35 65 Strip Grazing 30 70 Hay 18 82 Silage 13 87 Green Chop 8 92 Wisconsin Study in 1957
Time of Day Harvest Affects Sugar and Starch Content of Hay
Mowing or Swathing Cutting in the Morning Lower Starch, Sugars, and Non-structural Carbohydrates Cutting in the Afternoon Higher Starch, Sugars, and Non-structural Carbohydrates Cutting Height Considerations Plant Stand Longevity Regrowth Quality
Mowing Equipment Sickle Mowers Generally Have a Width of 5-9 Feet Advantages Inexpensive to Purchase Can Use with Existing Tractor Disadvantages Clogs Easily with Thick Grass & Lodged Plants Has a Limited Swath Width Can t Crimp or Condition the Plants in One Operation
Mowing Equipment Sickle Haybine or Swather Cuts and Conditions at Same Time Cost is About 10-20% Less per Foot Requires about 50% Less Power per Foot Open Station Tractors can be Used Less Streaking in Light Crops Lower Repair Costs if Major Obstruction Hit (Shinners, Wisconsin)
Mowing Equipment Rotary Disk Mower or Swather Cuts and Conditions at the Same Time Faster Ground Speed (Only the Smoothness of the Field Limits your Speed Better Cutting in Lodged Crops Better Cutting in Fine Stem Grasses Will Cut Through Gopher Mounds and Ant Hills Replacing Knives is Simpler and Faster No Reel Needed Less Moving Parts Disadvantage: They can Cut Forage Way Too Short
Effect of Windrow Width on Alfalfa Drying Rate at KES, Klamath Falls, OR
Effect of Moisture and Swath Thickness on Dry-Matter Losses During Raking
Respiration Loss from Hay Curing is Proportional to Forage Moisture Content and Air Temperature
Alfalfa Losses of DM and Leaves During Various Haymaking Operations Operation % of DM Lost % of Leaves Lost Mowing 1 2 Mowing/Conditioning Reciprocating Mower, fluted collars 2 3 Disc Mower, fluted rollers 3 4 Disc Mower, flail conditioner 4 5 Different Sources: Pitt., Kjelgaard, Hundtoft, and Rotz
Raking Side Delivery Rake Pin Wheel or Wheel Rake Rotary Wheel Rake (Series of rotary wheels) Tedders can be Designed to Rake
Raking (Cont.) 30-40% Moisture Wait Until the Dew is Off for Grass Rake with the Dew on for Alfalfa or Rake Prior to Leaves Being Too Dry, so Leaves Will Not Fall Off. Some are Raking Just Before Baling Grass
Raking (Cont.) If in a Narrow Windrow, Then the Windrow is Turned Once to Dry the Bottom Prior to Baling Make Sure Your Rake Tines are Up and Off of the Soil So not to Mix in Soil. This Increases Ash Content and Can Cause Detrimental Health Effects to the Animals Being Fed the Hay
Alfalfa Losses of DM and Leaves During Various Haymaking Operations Operation % of DM Lost % of Leaves Lost Raking 70% Moisture 2 2 60% Moisture 2 3 50% Moisture 3 5 33% Moisture 7 12 20% Moisture 12 21 Different Sources: Pitt., Kjelgaard, Hundtoft, and Rotz
The Effect of Forage Moisture on Dry Matter Loss During Raking of Alfalfa Hay
Tedding Tedding is Spreading and Fluffing the Hay Out in as Large of Swath as Possible Inverters are Machines That Pick Up the Windrow and Completely Invert the Windrow so the Bottom can Dry
Alfalfa Losses of DM and Leaves During Various Haymaking Operations Operation % of DM Lost % of Leaves Lost Tedding 70% Moisture 1 2 60% Moisture 1 3 50% Moisture 3 5 33% Moisture 6 12 20% Moisture 11 21 Different Sources: Pitt., Kjelgaard, Hundtoft, and Rotz
Equilibrium Moisture Content of Hay is Proportional to the Relative Humidity in the Air and the Air Temperature Graph
Baling Bale Too Wet and you get spoilage Bale Too Dry and you get sticks (alfalfa) The whole windrow is dry and brittle (grass) The hay must be pliable and retain leaves (alfalfa)
Baling (Cont.) Stem moisture is the key Alfalfa baled at 15-22% moisture Grass baled at 10-12% moisture Last Cutting alfalfa can be baled at much higher moisture level than other cuttings
Round Bales Small Medium Large 30%% of a 6 Foot Round Bale is Wrapped in the Outer 6-inch Layer More Difficult to Market More Difficult to Transport Long Distances Easy to Handle if Set Up Right
Square Bales 2-Tie: 18-22% Moisture for Alfalfa 3-Tie: Mid-Size Large: 4 x 4 x 8 feet ( 1-ton bales ) 16% Moisture for alfalfa
Alfalfa Losses of DM and Leaves During Various Haymaking Operations Operation % of DM Lost % of Leaves Lost Baling, Pickup + Chamber 25% Moisture* 3 4 20% Moisture 4 6 12% Moisture 6 8 * Requires Preservative for Safe Storage Different Sources: Pitt., Kjelgaard, Hundtoft, and Rotz
Alfalfa Losses of DM and Leaves During Various Haymaking Operations Operation % of DM Lost % of Leaves Lost Baling at 18% Moisture Conventional Rectangular baler with Ejector 5 8 Round Baler, Variable Chamber 6 10 Round Baler, Fixed Chamber 13 21 Different Sources: Pitt., Kjelgaard, Hundtoft, and Rotz
Effects of Rain Increases and Prolongs Plant Respiration Which Reduces Soluble Carbohydrates, Which Reduces the Overall Energy Content of the Forage Leaching of Soluble Carbohydrates, Protein (more difficult), and Certain Minerals (ex: K) Color Bleaching (Rankin and Undersander, Wisconsin)
Effects of Rain (Cont.) Leaf Shattering and Loss, Removing the Highly Digestible and High Protein Portion of the Forage In Wisconsin. Collins Measured Dry Matter Losses of 22% When Alfalfa was Subjected to 1-inch of Rain, One Day After Cutting Rankin and Undersander, Wisconsin