Everything You Need to Know About Baling Hay
From the month of May to early fall, hay baling is on the minds of many farmers. Baling hay is finally done for this year. However, that doesn't mean you can stop thinking about it. Maybe you didn't feel like it went very well this year. Surely you could get more hay, be more efficient, and even spend less time on the process? You're right! If baling hay is a huge hassle, chances are good that there are things you could be doing to make the whole ordeal easier. One of these is ordering a Skid Steer bale spear attachment for help. Before we get too far into that, let's back up and discuss the basics.
You need to get the timing right, not just the month but the time of day as well. The time to cut hay is a balancing act between maximizing the nutritional quality and store-ability of the bales. Hay undergoes the process of photosynthesis during daylight hours, just like every other plant. These sugars are produced at a rate faster than the rate at which they are used, leaving an excess of carbohydrates that are stored in the leaves. This accumulation of sugars is then used during the night as an energy source for growth and maintenance through the process of respiration, until photosynthesis begins the next morning. It is best to cut during the early evening when the sugar is most accumulated.
Of course, this is not the only consideration in making hay. Drying the hay properly is the most important part of the process. It is also critical to get the hay dry before the next rain. Up to eight percent of dry matter is lost per inch of rainfall if you don't get it in time! Respiration continues even after the hay is cut, continuing to deplete the sugar content in the leaves until the hay reaches a moisture level of less than 20%. This continued respiration can account for up to 16% in dry matter losses. Any cutting, tedding, raking, and baling accounts for more dry matter losses. At moistures greater than 20%, respiration continues, the temperature of the hay stack increases, fire is a possibility. It is best to cut hay when there is the greatest opportunity for successful drying, or early in the morning after the dew has dried off.
The reality of the amount of work to be done and the time constraints dictate the cutting schedule. This means taking advantage of any window of good weather in which the entire process can be completed through baling. Many farmers begin in the late afternoon because that is when it fits into their work schedule. If you aren’t working alone, you can bale your hay any time! Next year, when you have a Skid Steer bale spear attachment as your teammate, the chore will be over before you know it.
When you find and purchase this attachment, your task can be done quickly so you can start it whenever is convenient for you! You'll find these attachments for sale online, through the same trusted websites that sell angle broom attachment for sale and others.
