Explain why dirt hay bales harder

old · Jul 18, 2015

So my field got flooded and I cut and baled it. Seem like it worked the baler tractor a whole lot hard then normal. Most of the time the old Oliver S88 plays with the NH850 baler but today it seems that it was almost over worked. Is it that the dust/dirt make the hay harder to bale or what

notjustair · Jul 18, 2015

That hay was tougher. It's the difference between baling what has been rained on and what hasn't. It seems like a good rain on a windrow makes those leaves into little razors. And dirty? My gosh it gets to be a dusty mess. I just pitched 10 bales in as bedding that were on the bottom corner of a field I baled. They dried in the heat of the day but I couldn't hardly see the baler in that corner for all of the dust.

JD Seller · Jul 18, 2015

The dust/dirt on the hay makes it slide harder in the bale chamber. Also the bales should be heavier. There is dirt included in the hay.

What I meant earlier about flooded hay molding does not have anything to do with the hay being wet. It is funguses that get carried into the grass with the flood water. So normally safe hay at 13-15% moisture can mold. Your may not have any issue. I just have seen hay flooded along the Mississippi that would mold about 2/3 of the time. So just watch it when you go to feed it to your horses this fall/winter.

john in la · Jul 18, 2015

I agree with JD Seller.

That hay you just baled is nothing more than compost as far as I'm concerned.
I would not even graze the field.
Cut it with a bush hog and let it re-grow new grass.

The flood waters bring all kinds of bad things in; you are best just to cut your loses and start over.
If you want to read more on the subject google "clostridia organisms in flooded fields"

Janicholson · Jul 19, 2015

I agree with the others in the careful watching of the bales for mold.
One thing not mentioned is the toughness of the stems. This happens when the plant matures and gets "ropey" the fiber content goes up, and protein is usually less. If the field comes back this late summer, it may produce good hay, (I hope it does) Jim

Traditional Farmer · Jul 19, 2015

No way I'd feed that hay to my livestock,horses are especially sensitive to hay with dirt
flood dirt on it.The fines from the dirt is also working its way into every bearing on the chain on that baler.

jeffcat · Jul 19, 2015

"Landscape Hay" They use stuff like that for chopper machine when they hydro seed a large area. Not going to pay much but cut your losses.

Pair-a-dice farm · Jul 19, 2015

It's not as of good hay but about every other year my 1st cutting of hay is flooded hay. I allow a couple of extra days of drying and tedder it twice. It's still very dirty but so far I've never received a complaint from the cows and haven't noticed any problems other than being harder to bale.

rrlund · Jul 19, 2015

You should have left it lay until it got washed again. lol

Alan K · Jul 19, 2015

Friction between the dirt and the baler parts.

guido · Jul 19, 2015

Hello old,

Don't you know that dirt is heavier that hay? I just could not resist it. Hope you take it like it is meant,

Guido.

2underage · Jul 19, 2015

Burn it off and stay upwind when you do. Here in NY State they had a lot of problems with feeding cattle after hurricane Sandy and the feed was under flood water. Tests on the hay found that it contained microbes and contaminants that could cause health issues and even death to cattle. A lot of hay and corn was destroyed because it was unsafe for cattle.

Geo-TH,In · Jul 19, 2015

Old, my uncle 50 years ago would sell his moldy hay to a place that grew mushrooms in Chicago.

Are there still places around that grow mushrooms and do they use moldy hay?

old · Jul 19, 2015

Ah but this hay is not moldy it is just covered with dust due to the flood. It is now hot and dry here and what is odd it is to dry now and at least the top of the ground is dust

old · Jul 19, 2015

Ah but it got rained on 2 or 3 times after the flood so I would have thought the rain would have washed the dust off but it didn't

JMS/.MN · Jul 19, 2015

Grit makes friction.

showcrop · Jul 19, 2015

A lot of corn ground in NH and VT got flooded by Sandy when the corn was mostly 5-6 feet high. The extension service told them not to feed it but many did unless the water line was up above say three feet on the stalk.

Traditional Farmer · Jul 20, 2015

Yep, he's eating his chains up on that baler.

Explain why dirt hay bales harder

old

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notjustair

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JD Seller

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john in la

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Janicholson

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Traditional Farmer

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jeffcat

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Pair-a-dice farm

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rrlund

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Alan K

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guido

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2underage

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Geo-TH,In

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old

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old

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showcrop

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