1. How to Produce High Quality Hay II: How to cure and handle hay. Dennis Hancock, PhD. Extension Forage Specialist UGA – Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences Dennis Hancock, PhD. Extension Forage Specialist UGA – Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences

2. Components of Forage Waste: Field curing Harvesting Storage Feeding Harvesting 7-15% loss Harvesting 7-15% loss Field curing 5-25% loss Field curing 5-25% loss

3. Components of Curing Losses Rainfall and leaching

4. Rainfall Distribution - Midville 1 2000-2007

5. Components of Curing Losses Rainfall and leaching Respiration

6. Respiration Loss: Consider the humble banana

7. Rate of Respiration Loss Depends on Internal Crop Moisture and Air Temperature 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 Moisture level, % 0.40 0.35 0.30 0.25 0.20 0.15 0.10 DM losses, (% DM/hour) 77° F 95° F

8. Drying Times Vary 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Days 80 60 40 20 Moisture (%) Poor Drying Conditions Good Drying Conditions

9. Mowing and Curing Systems

10. If you have < 50 acres of hay, what mowing implement do you use (most frequently)? A.Sicklebar mower B.Disc mower C.Sicklebar mower/conditioner D.Disc mower/conditioner E.Other A.Sicklebar mower B.Disc mower C.Sicklebar mower/conditioner D.Disc mower/conditioner E.Other

12. If you have > 50 acres of hay, what mowing implement do you use (most frequently)? A.Sicklebar mower B.Disc mower C.Sicklebar mower/conditioner D.Disc mower/conditioner E.Other A.Sicklebar mower B.Disc mower C.Sicklebar mower/conditioner D.Disc mower/conditioner E.Other

14. Mower Options  Sickle Cutterbar  10-20% less expense  Require 30% less hp  Repairs are less expensive  Disk Cutterbar  Faster ground speed  Cuts through ant hills better  Maintenance is 20-30% less  Better if crop is lodged  Sickle Cutterbar  10-20% less expense  Require 30% less hp  Repairs are less expensive  Disk Cutterbar  Faster ground speed  Cuts through ant hills better  Maintenance is 20-30% less  Better if crop is lodged

15. Conditioner Styles Flail (impeller)Roller (crimper)

16. Conditioner Styles Flail (impeller)Roller (crimper) Fine stemmed grassesThick stemmed grasses and Leafy (legumes)

17. Cross Section of Crop Stem Stems have a waxy surface called cutin Conditioning should scratch or crack the stem surface for faster drying Stems have a waxy surface called cutin Conditioning should scratch or crack the stem surface for faster drying

19. Conditioner Drying Rates AlfalfaGrass

20. Dry Matter Losses from Alfalfa as a Result of Conditioning AlfalfaGrass

21. Night-Time Moisture Fluctuations 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Days 80 60 40 20 Moisture (%) Poor Drying Conditions Good Drying Conditions

22. The Effect of Relative Humidity 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Relative Humidity, % 40 30 20 10 Equilibrium Moisture (%) 77° F 95° F

23. “My Buddy, Ted” Increase hay-drying rates by 20-40% (~ 0.5 – 1 day) DM Loss: Grasses (<3%) Legumes (7-10% +) Breaks up clumps & distributes the crop over the entire area.  Increased sun  Fluffed for better air movement Initial tedding: w/in 2-4 hrs (clumps break better) Additional tedding? May be necessary for grass, probable for alfalfa

24. Hay Raking Systems Parallel bar rake  The lowest amount of hay loss, particularly with legumes.  Usually ground drive system. Rotary rakes  Some are dual function (rake or ted). Wheel rakes  Operated at a higher speed (saves time)  Tend to leave more in the field.

25. Hay Curing Management Conditioner? YES. Wide or narrow swath? Wide as possible When to mow? Early as possible Ted it? YES, but only when damp and toward the end of when the dew is on.  Avoid tedding legumes when > 50% moisture Moisture at raking?  35-40% for legumes  20-25% for grass/legume mixes  ~<20% for bermudagrass Moisture at baling?  Small square = 18%,  Round bales = 15%

26. Square vs. Round

27. Square vs. Round Round bales  Large (800-2000 lbs)  Easy to handle, if you have a tractor  Less expensive ($/dry ton)  Lots of waste  If stored outside  If fed on ground  If accessible over long periods Square (small rectangular) bales  Small (40-75 lbs)  Relatively easy to handle and store  More expensive ($/dry ton)  Fed with less waste, usually  Labor intensive

28. Bale Accumulator

29. Bale Grapple (“Grabber”)

31. Baled Silage

32. More nutrients are preserved Less dependent on weather

33. High Quality!  But, “Garbage in = garbage out” Much lower harvest and storage losses Min. amount of additional machinery No specialized machinery for feeding No effluent problems if wilted High Quality!  But, “Garbage in = garbage out” Much lower harvest and storage losses Min. amount of additional machinery No specialized machinery for feeding No effluent problems if wilted Advantages

34. Higher cost than conventional hay methods  costs are offset by losses in hay methods Bales can be very heavy Some balers can’t bale wet forage  Rare these days Tears or punctures can lead to spoilage Possibility of spoiled silage causing sickness Disposal of used plastic Higher cost than conventional hay methods  costs are offset by losses in hay methods Bales can be very heavy Some balers can’t bale wet forage  Rare these days Tears or punctures can lead to spoilage Possibility of spoiled silage causing sickness Disposal of used plastic Disadvantages

35. Details at End of Day

36. Resources on CD

37. How to Produce High Quality Hay II: How to cure and handle hay. QUESTIONS? www.georgiaforages.com