What moisture should hay be to Bale?
18 to 22 percent
When hay is baled, it should not be higher than 18 to 22 percent moisture. At higher levels of moisture, bales lose large amounts of dry matter (Figure 1) caused by excessive heating and molding (Figure 2).
How do you test for dry hay?
Method #2: Oven Drying Tests
- Measure the weight of the hay sample before drying.
- Dry the hay (this can take 20-40 minutes, depending on drying method and overall moisture of the hay).
- Weigh the dry hay to determine the “dry weight.”
- Divide the dry weight by the wet weight, and convert to a percent number.
Can you over dry hay?
To make good hay, enough moisture must be present to keep all the leaves intact. Too dry, and they shatter and fall off during the baling process. Too wet, and hay will heat and mold. Plants that are cut and baled for hay tend to lose some of their vitamins and protein if they become too mature or dry.
Does hay need to cure?
Any hay that has been properly cured and dried before being baled should be stable and can be fed as soon as needed. There are no nutritional advantages to storing hay for weeks or months prior to use.
How do you know when Hay is ready to bale?
Now that you’ve cut the hay you need to know when it’s dry. The way I learned to see if it is dry is to reach under the windrow and feel the bottom of the hay. If the hay feels moist, then it’s not ready to bale. An easy test to do to see if hay is ready and bend it in half. If the hay is still wet, it won’t make any crunching sounds.
What to do with hay that is still moist?
If the hay it still moist, you have two options: You can use a tedder to turn over hay and to help it dry faster. You can wait a bit longer to let it dry.
What happens to Hay when it gets hot?
Figure 1. Summary of heating during hay storage, including recommended actions at various hay temperatures, what is causing the temperature increase, and what is happening as a result of the heat. Nearly all hay goes through “a sweat” during the first few days after baling when the temperature rises.
What happens when you feed hay to horses?
This feeding results in the loss of some dry matter (DM), reduces the quality of the hay, and also generates heat. The temperature of these hay bales, stacks, and barns can get very hot. In extreme cases, it can get so hot that the bales can catch on fire, even without a spark (i.e., spontaneous combustion).