Does raking hay help it dry?

Raking tends to roll the wetter hay from the bottom of the swath to the outer surface of the windrow, which improves drying. Following the initial improvement, the increase in swath density can reduce drying rate, so the crop moisture content at raking is important.

How long should hay dry before raking?

It basically takes about three days of good weather to cure hay. This can be a challenge in late May or early June. A good strategy is to mow just before or right after a rain, because of the likelihood of good weather for the next few days.

How do you make hay dry faster?

Make A Wide Windrow

Swath width is an easy adjustment that has a big impact on drying time. Lay the crop as wide as practical. Do not cut hay into a tight windrow. A wider swath will dry faster, because more drying area of the hay is exposed to sun and wind.

What is the purpose of raking hay?

The purpose of raking is to turn the hay one last time and to form the windrow necessary for baling. The first step in raking is to properly set your rake. This simple and important task will keep your bales from being contaminated with dirt and other debris. Tines should skim just above the ground.

How long after cutting hay should you rake?

Cut first thing in the morning, ted about 2-4 hours later, do nothing the next day, rake as soon as dew is off (-48 hours after cutting), let dry about 3 hours, and bale. Sometime takes an extra day to dry or occasionally a day less if perfect weather.

the basics of raking

Can you rake hay twice?

In most areas of the country, grass hay can be cut twice, sometimes three times, per year. The first cutting generally has the largest yield.

Do I need a hay rake?

This may not be a problem in more arid regions, but in humid regions or regions with high rainfall, it is. Therefore, in moist climates, a tedder, which spreads the hay for increased sun and air exposure, is most likely a necessity. There are situations, however, when a tedder should not be used.

How often should you tedder hay?

Initial tedding should be performed after a brief wilting period following a morning cutting while the hay is still moist (two to four hours). In very damp conditions, tedding may need to be done immediately after cutting. A second pass is usually done the next day, and the hay is raked and baled that afternoon.

Is tedding hay necessary?

Simply put, tedding is the function of lifting and separating hay in order to hasten dry down time. Why is this important? According to Josh Vrieze, Vermeer Corporation Product Manager, speeding dry down saves time, gives hay producers greater flexibility and can result in higher quality forage.

Can hay be dry daily?

Proper dry matter content for chopping haylage can often be achieved within 24 hours as compared to three to four days for dry hay.

Can hay be too dry to bale?

When hay is too dry before baling, the leaves of the forage become stiff and brittle, making them much more likely to fall off. In many cases, a significant portion of hay's nutritive value lies in the leafy portions of the herbs used to make the hay.

How long should you let hay dry before baling?

It basically takes about three days of good weather to cure hay, which can be a challenge in late May or early June. A good strategy is to mow a day before or immeditately after it rains, because of the likelihood of good weather for the next few days.

What happens to hay if it gets rained-on?

Rained-on hay often has relatively high protein values compared to fiber content unless there's great leaf loss. Leaves contain a lot of the plant's protein. As soluble carbohydrates leach, structural fibers make up a greater percent of forage dry matter. The digestibility of rained-on hay can decline 6 to 40 percent.

Can you cut hay right after it rains?

Rain doesn't hurt the freshly cut hay really at all and when the weather clears the ground is much dryer than if you try to cut right after the rain.

What time of day is best to cut hay?

Though starches and simple sugars accumulate during the day, a substantial amount of these carbohydrates are used up during the night for growth and maintenance (via the processes of respiration). Therefore, cutting the crop at night will likely maximize the sugar in the crop, at least at the time of cutting.

What is the best time to Ted hay?

Initial tedding should be performed after a brief wilting period following a morning cutting while the hay is still moist (two to four hours). In very damp conditions, tedding may need to be done immediately after cutting. A second pass is usually done the next day, and the hay is raked and baled that afternoon.

What is the difference between tedding and raking hay?

In order to speed the drying time of the hay, tedding is generally done the second day after the hay has been mowed or after a heavy rainfall. Raking, however, is not done until the hay has less than 35 percent to 45 percent moisture content.

What does tethering hay mean?

A traditional European technique, tedding is the process used by growers to cure mown hay, particularly in cooler climates where drying hay thoroughly can be a challenge. Tedding speeds up drying of hay and other forage through physical manipulation: Mixing helps rotate dry grass with green.

How hot is too hot for hay bales?

Temperature 160 degrees F -- Reaching the danger zone. Temperature should be checked every two hours. If possible, stacked hay should be disassembled to allow more air to move around heated bales for cooling. Temperature 175 degrees F -- Hot spots or fire pockets are likely.

How often should you turn hay?

Hay should be cut when dry at the end of a sunny day when sugar levels are at their highest and tedded immediately after cutting. In good weather the grass is tedded twice daily and in very good sunny, breezy weather haymaking should be achieved in 3 to 4 days.

Can you cut hay with dew on the ground?

Avoid cutting hay until the morning dew has fully dried. “There is enough water that must leave the plants already without adding more from the nightly dew,” Kaatz says. “The bottom of windrows also absorb moisture from the soil, so keep drying hay off of wet soils as much as possible to avoid added moisture content.”