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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
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moisture content of dry hay

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Charlie

07-27-2004 18:00:29




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Anybody know what the moisture has to be down to in baled hay so it won't spoil. We're having possilby the worst summer ever in western NY for rain and I may have baled some Suday that won't keep. I finally found my lost hay tester so I can test it - just not sure what is an acceptable number.




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james b

07-28-2004 04:55:05




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 Re: moisture content of dry hay in reply to Charlie, 07-27-2004 18:00:29  
If you put some rock salt on top of each bale, the moisture will be drawn out of the hay and into the salt-plus the cows might enjoy a bit of seasoning.



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Hugh MacKay

07-28-2004 02:54:54




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 Re: moisture content of dry hay in reply to Charlie, 07-27-2004 18:00:29  
Charlie: 15% has always been the standard everyone aimed for. At that figure your absolutely safe on storage. I'm sure over the years lots of hay has been stored successfully at rates up to 20%, using good pileing and air flow through the mass.



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Nebraska Cowman

07-27-2004 18:15:35




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 Re: moisture content of dry hay in reply to Charlie, 07-27-2004 18:00:29  
I think you can make it keep by spreading around in the mow at close to 20% but what do I know, I've never used a tester.



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randy hall

07-27-2004 18:12:14




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 Re: moisture content of dry hay in reply to Charlie, 07-27-2004 18:00:29  
15%. always stack the bales on edge with the cut side up.



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Dave H (MI)

07-28-2004 06:25:04




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 Re: Re: moisture content of dry hay in reply to randy hall, 07-27-2004 18:12:14  
I'm not specifically challenging your statement, but a couple of months back there was a posting on the topic of stacking bales cut side up or not and the consensus seemed to be that it did not matter. Is there any truth to the "cut ends up" method?



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Hugh MacKay

07-28-2004 18:20:12




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 Re: Re: Re: moisture content of dry hay in reply to Dave H (MI), 07-28-2004 06:25:04  
Dave: We had a barn dryer. This unit was a 5hp electric unit with a 4' by 4' duct along one wall. Inside the duct were 8' long shutters to allow air out under a slated floor the hay was piled on. This enabled us to open 8' sections of the floor at a time as we filled the barn. As we progressed we could shutt the early sections off. What you had to achive with this unit was pack bales tight enough together so as not to allow free air to escape. We tried numerous ways of piling, finally settling on piling bales on their edge.

At the end of each days filling we would go over the surface. You could feel the air coming up through hay. If we found an area with too much free air escaping, we would stuff loose down using a plunger affair made from a fork handle. We also bricked those bales both ways. It was a bit of a pain getting it started at the end of barn.

Our aim was not to put wet hay in barn, but rather baling before hay got dry enough for leaf shattering in alfalfa. Most of that hay went in closer to 20% than 15% moisture. The dryer quickly took it to 15%

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Ted

07-28-2004 11:11:35




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 Re: Re: Re: moisture content of dry hay in reply to Dave H (MI), 07-28-2004 06:25:04  
Definitly cut ends up. Helps dry and keeps bail in a more uniformed shape.



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