When to bale hay? (Stuck between a rock and a hard place!)

Cazzah

Cazzah

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Had field cut on Friday, turned yesterday morning. It is still slightly green and in an ideal world could do with another 24 hours BUT rain forecast tomorrow, with heavy showers at times. Due to be a bit better Thursday.

Have called the guy who's cutting and baling for me and he was non-commital about whether to bale or not but is coming tonight to have a look.

So, what would you do?

a. Bale tonight before it gets (potentially) soaked

b. Leave it and pray the rain tomorrow is not too bad and bale Thursday

c. Right the whole year off as a complete waste: no hay, competitions cancelled and self harming horses are sooooo 2012 dahling.....
 
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If its only been turned once, its unlikely to be properly cooked yet, and I would think you would have to leave it until after the rain.

If it has been turned several times and feels dry and crispy to the touch, then it may be baleable if still pale green IF it is meadow hay (mixture of species incl clover and timothy, just what grows in the field) rather than a sown grass crop of ryegrass.

This is because (i) meadow hay does tend to be greener and (ii) ryegrass hay releases a lot more sugar/heat in the early weeks after being baled and if it is not ready, the hay can spontaneously combust and burn the place down. This is also possible with meadow hay but less likely as the grasses are not as rich and also being a mix they are at different stages of dryness/curing and most have thinner stalks so cure quicker.

Dont despair if you do have to leave it, it will still make fine horse hay as long as it (i) isnt left rowed up for baling, it needs to be scattered (ii) it isnt out there for weeks. One positive is that after being rained on, hay seems to dry much quicker than it does originally.
 
I mowed mine, it got rained on. I turned it, it got rained on. Repeat last sentence x 4. I rang the contractor we went for it due to the forecast and although its not great it's ok. Th trade off we had was trying to ensure we didn't get the field trashed getting the hay off. I am glad it's done now though.
The irony being my horses are now living out on the hay field and I don't need any hay!
 
It depends a lot on how much grass there is. If there's a lot of grass, it would be better left, especially as it has only been turned once. If it's a light shear, you might get away with it. Go out into the field and check it in a few places. If the stalks are dry with no moisture, it's hay. If it's green and has moisture in it, forget it. If you bale green hay, it will 'yet' (heat up) and at best, be spoilt and at worst, it is likely to catch fire in a couple of months time.
 
bit late in the day to reply,sorry ! I had mine cut on a thursday turned twice friday and once saturday then rowed up and baled on the saturday - it is lovely and not at all hot - but... it was 26 degrees and its meadow hay - the contractor thought we were going to have to do haylage but we were all suprised when it made hay.

tbh if it were me i would be tempted to bale tonight and if too green and fresh wrap it - but prob short notice - if you have good doers then if it gets rained on as long as totally dried when baled it should still be good but not such high feed value.

Good luck.
 
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