Hay Sweating in Barn (moisture gain)???? Normal?

[fishheadbob]

In my experience- the hay better feel dry to the touch, the bale needs to be light for the size - almost with a bounce when thrown - otherwise it is going to mold and then it is useless for horse. Mold turns dusty - bad for the lungs.

X2
Somewhere I ran across an old WWII vintage fan about the size of an airplane propeller. I spread the hay bales around and let it blow overnight when I knew that I had beaten the rain but put up dubious bales. Seemed to save the day. That old fan also kept a breeze going while working up in the mow.

 

[chinton]

I've not done much hay since a teenager, but did a lot for a neighbor that had previously lost hay to what he described as a contained smolder. If he had any doubt at all he'd have us stack the square bales on their side and throw salt every so often. As I recall he'd normally cut and rake one day then bale the next and hire us to pick it up the same day if possible, the next day if not. I don't recall missing for weather much but it probably wouldn't have been significant enough for me to remember now.

No meters. Just his gut and the weight of the bales with his "standard" tension.

 

[powerscol]

Well - this time I cut, tedded, raked and baled 298 bales. This time it was 5 days drying at over 90 degrees with some good wind. Moisture in the baler and right behind was 9 to 10%. Next morning only 11% and they did get about 20 minutes of rain. Let them sit for 1/2 day and moisture was back down to the 9-10% range. For the first time I only had to man handle 1 bale - the rest my small hay grapple handled. My tractor also hauled my 23' deck over trailer with 100 bales stacked on it without much issue.....but I did go at a snails pace.

So on the first round I must have read something wrong - it was much cooler 60's to 70's and I probably should have waited another day to bale but had to get ready for vacation. Those bales still read above 22% to 25% in spots but are nice a cool - no mold yet in the bales I am feeding (they do feel damp though), but I am watching

Now get this, neighbor cut, let his sit 2 days, had rain and went ahead and baled that night - I know they were wet. I guess byer beware. He did cut with a MOCO though - would it have made that much difference?

 

[jibe717]

Your moisture meter only read the surface of the stems, not the interior level. So, the high interior content has bloomed out to the stalks. Your hay is gonna mold. Check your moisture meter by 1) hitting the cal button, and 2) measuring the level of your hands. I forget the exact number but its usually maybe 18 - 19% ???

My rule is that you should be able to hear the hay as it passes up from the feeder tines. If its crunchy, its DRY. Does your mower have condition rolls? If not, now you know why they are an important part of the hay preparation process: cracking the stems to let moisture out.

I cut with a New Holland disc mower. No rollers. I won't crimp my hay. The reasons being that each place that you crush and break the plants you also are allowing the nutrients that the plant holds to leach out. Secondly these cuts/cracks/breaks from crimping act as little razors to the animal eating this hay as it goes down its throat and into the stomach. Animals that eat uncrimped hay tend to be healthier. Lastly a disc mower lays the hay out flat as opposed to mo-co's which bunch the hay in windrows. Being laid out flat allows for the wind and sun to better aid in drying time.