[AT] Loose hay/round balers

[CBear81438 at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/27/2005 7:23:40 PM Central Standard Time,  
dadadidi at cccomm.net writes:

What  kind of moisture content do you strive for when bailing those round  
bales?



I have baled prairie hay as soon as an hour after it was cut.  I have  baled 
wheat hay that ran the sap over the rollers and dripped as It was  baled..  It 
smelled like silage.  I have used that stuff that is  supposed to let you 
bale wetter.  The cows did not like the hay.   However if I bale it about half 
green, both cows and sheep will run over you to  get it.  My neighbors say I 
bale hay way too green.  However, when  they are up at 3 in the mroning baling, 
and I am having a good nights  sleep..  I ahve watched the leaves of alfalfa 
just fall off their balers,  and mine are still intact..  
 
I don't know the percentage of moisture, but it is wet.   I let  the bales 
stay in the field about 2 weeks before hauling.  However I have  dug into 
several bales that smell like silage and they are cool inside.   Rye smells the 
best....
 
Just my $0.02
cecil in oKla