Hay

BENDYBINN wrote: »

What’s the obsession with hay?
Surely well wilted silage is better feed value than hay and far less stressful on the farmer and his machinery? It doesn’t take up shed space either.
Seems some farmers like hardship..

Hay is a fantastic crop when saved well. Hay and rain of any sort does not mix end of story. If you can save it and store it in round bales it's like old gold as they say. The small bales are a premium but they are not called idiot bricks for nothing.
To be able to read the weather and not panic is an advantage. I saved mine in the dry spell at end of May when ppl thought I was mad. I honestly don't think we are going to get enough dry and sunny days together to make hay in 2020.

wrangler wrote: »

Grass was late this spring around here, we were feeding sheep up to early may and even after that there was poor growth so you were lucky to have grass to cut
I used to make a lot of hay up to 1978, but on the bad years I reckoned that the value of hay rotted and wasted would build silage pits for a lot of farms

I had mine closed off on 1st April and only got two thirds of what the crop would be but a bird on the hand and all that. The other side too was I had badly needed after grass when no-one had it. Have to say the stuff I made was excellent.

kk.man wrote: »

I had mine closed off on 1st April and only got two thirds of what the crop would be but a bird on the hand and all that. The other side too was I had badly needed after grass when no-one had it. Have to say the stuff I made was excellent.

It'd have to be good, surely over 70% DMD. Traditionally hay would be grown till end of june, probably only 60% DMD. That's the reason it suits suckler cows, At 60% DMD They'd have to eat a lot of it before they'd put on any weight, either on themselves or the calf in them

Jjameson wrote: »

It’s cheap to conserve. If you have a shed it keeps for years, and is easily transported in times of shortage. It’s great for sheep in that there’s no listeriosis risk , great for calving cows. If anything I can’t understand the fascination with silage bales when a silage pit is so much easier and cheaper.

Re pit v silage it depends on system

For finishing stores hard to beat bales for high dm as grass can be cut when suitable v waiting for a bulk crop for pit

We were always pit but changed to bales as a reduction in numbers ment pit was starting to go off

I think price of bales v pit is another big talking point at times

I cut& ted & stack myself, with a wilt it averages at (8 bales/acre = 56euro baled +plastic+draw

My draw is near and can get them into the yard with a 10 pack working out at a euro/bale

Diesel & time ....put a price on that?

The more of tbe country i travel the more i can't understand big dairy herds with bales, outside of the cost thewinter labour of 2k+bales is high
I was always of the opinon if pit quality was down substitute it with concentrates

Any dairy lad i talk they all say the same - bales=higher quality=more milk

Spent alot time on the road in limerick and cork and most bigger lads are pit
Anyone near me with 100cows is all bales

I have sucklers so i can't compare

If i go back up in numbers i think the best value for me may be with the wagon.....and no not the wife:D

50HX wrote: »

Re pit v silage it depends on system

For finishing stores hard to beat bales for high dm as grass can be cut when suitable v waiting for a bulk crop for pit

We were always pit but changed to bales as a reduction in numbers ment pit was starting to go off

I think price of bales v pit is another big talking point at times

I cut& ted & stack myself, with a wilt it averages at (8 bales/acre = 56euro baled +plastic+draw

My draw is near and can get them into the yard with a 10 pack working out at a euro/bale

Diesel & time ....put a price on that?

The more of tbe country i travel the more i can't understand big dairy herds with bales, outside of the cost thewinter labour of 2k+bales is high
I was always of the opinon if pit quality was down substitute it with concentrates

Any dairy lad i talk they all say the same - bales=higher quality=more milk

Spent alot time on the road in limerick and cork and most bigger lads are pit
Anyone near me with 100cows is all bales

I have sucklers so i can't compare

If i go back up in numbers i think the best value for me may be with the wagon.....and no not the wife:D

I be much the same quality of bales is better and cost for a small operator is as low or lower than pit. I take two cuts one about 24-27th of May ideally and a second cut late July/early August.

Contractor cuts, bales and rakes for 10/bale plastic worked out a 3.1/bale this year at 5 layers on first cut average 7 bales/acre.

It was a bit back off what I expected due to drought, it was down about 48 hours and I drew in myself. That is less than 90/acre and the cost of drawing in. I am lucky as draw is handy enough. I see small lads like me getting a contractor in to do pit it could be snowing and they have to let the contractor do it and they would be little or no wilt.

I be very reluctant to change to pit, it would take a week to get across the face of the pit and feeding would be no faster.

With the new balers a bale planted in front of a feed barrier will last the pen 2.5-3 days.

Well, is anyone going to chance cutting a few acres ??

That’s the JD578 and jones

I’m terrible uploading pictures so apologised in advance

Reggie. wrote: »

No pic ya cabbage

I added 3 pictures and boards doesn't recognise the credentials :rolleyes:

Get onto Mods

Reggie. wrote: »

The day has turned up to be a good dry evening

Yea nice day here. Good wind and a bit of sun at times. Neighbour out turning his hay he cut Sunday. More rain given for Friday though. Next week looks reasonable . Dry and pleasant but not that warm. Think I might cut tomorrow and leave untouched Friday Saturday and turn out Sunday .

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

I think it’s promised good for 5 days after Saturday

I won't hold my breath. Had 6mm in the last 3 days.
35mm this month alone

davidk1394 wrote: »

I cut out 30ac today. I'll see what happens

Big dice to roll. Currently Tedding about 50 acres for lads atm.

Well today mucked things up for a lot of people

On a separate note has anyone experience of a wuffer/fluffer/ swath lifter?
Are they gentler than a tedder for wilting silage?
I've red clover silage for the first time this year and I'm afraid the tedder will damage the leaves in dry weather?

Castlekeeper wrote: »

Well today mucked things up for a lot of people

Is there any way back for Hay that was fairly well saved that got that savage rain today is the question ?

my hay was very close to fit last night, didnt touch it today but we escaped a good bit of rain, its fairly green fesh still, but cant get a third wetting. i think a shake out or two tomoorrow providding sun comes out might bale sunday or monday. giving dry til wedensday

Deleted User wrote: »

Lets say if the grass hasnt been shook out yet and got rain today or tomorrow but was shook out after, what kind of impact would that be?

I am thinking a loss of quality and colour but would it be significant?

When was it cut.
If it hasn't been shock out yet I'd say it will be fine - very little impact.
The bigger problem is will you run out of time by Wednesday to get it saved now with temperatures not great and lack of good sunshine ?
Best of luck with it anyway.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Wednesday afternoon, hasnt been shook out.

It is a light crop and is in a field that will dry very quickly.

I took a look at it the other evening and it was very dry already

If it's light and not shook out you may have a chance. Grass that is left in rows saves away. It increases DM and water is not lodging in damaged/bruised part of the grass from the hay bob. Biggest mistake lads make is not letting grass save in rows for a few days before going in with a hay bob. If by any chance you cut with a conditioner it will be even higher in DM.

You be surprised but if you got 2-3 good days it might be fit

Not too bad here. Sun is coming out between the clouds. No real drying though. Need a bit of wind .
Rained a good bit yesterday evening and overnight.

Deleted User wrote: »

Had you your stuff in the rows still?

I havent looked at ours yet.

Tomorrow looks good, might look to shake out at 11 am tomorrow.

Do ye think we'll get Wednesday or Thursday dry or just up to Tuesday lads ?

Sami23 wrote: »

Do ye think we'll get Wednesday or Thursday dry or just up to Tuesday lads ?

It might be ok for the east and south east until Wednesday night but it doesn’t look great for the west and north during the day but its a long way off yet.

I’ll never make hay again, am still mentally scarred from saving the “hay” in 85 and 86. Hate the bloody stuff.

Tileman wrote: »

Turned out a smashing evening here. If we could get a few days like that we might be ok. Allot of Hay down around me. Some cut last weekend and was turned out. Allot more cut last Wednesday Thursday and still in rows . I’d say the Haybobs will be busy tomorrow

If stuff is only turned out for 1st time tomorrow its hard to see it being fit to bale by Wednesday though is it ?

A good bit of hay around today knocked and it black looking from a full days rain yesterday.