How much rain would spoil haylage

[myhorsefred]

Hi everyone,

Can I ask you all, how much rain would spoil haylage in your opinion please?

I am considering cutting the grass tomorrow and baling and wrapping on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. There are intermittent showers forcast (according to metcheck.com) in my area for Sunday evening and maybe Monday evening.

Would it have to be a downpour to spoil it, or is a shower ok? Or, would it spoil if it had any rain at all?

How many days do you usually leave between cutting and wrapping please? Is it about 4 days?

Sorry, never made hay or haylage before - just bought a smallholding.

Thank you!

 

[jrp204]

You need to bale it about a day before it would be hay, if it rains, don't turn it until it dries off, if it looks like its going to rain don't turn it either. It will prob take 3-4 days, we have quite a breeze so anything cut will dry out quite quickly. If its looking better for next week i would mow it monday for baling thurs/fri.

 

[1275gta]

Personally I wouldn't cut until there are 4 or 5 days of good weather forecast. It is still early enough and wouldn't matter if it wasn't done until mid to end of July.

I wouldn't rush and do it now.

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

Agree with Gypsycob, we would never cut ours knowing there was rain forecasted. You cannot help the British Weather sometimes but wouldnt advise knowingly decking it when rain was on the cards!

 

[myhorsefred]

Thanks all. Seems I am too eager! Think i will wait.

I am trying to do small bale haylage and the problem I have is finding someone with the equipmnet to wrap it. Wrapper is available next week and week after. Then he is busy for weeks and can't guarantee he could wrap it for me. He has to do his own farm first,which is understandable. Hence my rush to do it.

What a headache!