haying equipment questions

[jerseycows]

Hello all,
My wife and I bought an old dairy farm down the road a bit and with barn setup, pastures, and hayfields we are going to be in a much better setup for us and our cows. I will have 30-40 acres to hay and already own a JD 3520 (37hp and 30pto hp). I have been researching haying equipment all winter to use with the 3520, and there's not a lot of it. I'm looking at an Enorossi sickle mower (6' double action), Rossi 2 basket tedder, and Case 8420 or Massey 1734 round baler. I already picked up an old JD rollabar rake with dolly wheel. This equipment is all fairly local and I can afford it, tractor and rake are paid for. I would like to get a drum mower with conditioning or a New Holland 472 haybine but can't swing the cash right now. The Rossi sickle mower is the one I have concern for as sickles generally have a less than ideal reputation (clogging when it's thick and no conditioning), but the double action on the newer sickles seems to be an improvement in terms of clogging. I'm not sure what king of grasses I'll be dealing with as another farmer down the road has been haying it for a number of years and I have yet to catch up with him to inquire. He uses a haybine. Any thoughts on these new sickles? Should I not waste my time and money and go for a drum mower or haybine despite that would double the cost
Thanks,
Mike

 

[LouNY]

If you don't have a conditioner you will have a hard time getting your hay dry enough to bale. Unconditioned hay will need 4 good drying days.
Sickle bar mowers can do a good job of mowing but a discbine can also mow much faster.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Have any neighbors you could partner with on putting up your hay? In SE Texas $25 per bale or going in on shares works out pretty good and you won’t have to try and make your tractor do it when it’s not really made for that kind of work

Brett

 

[RedNeckRacin]

You are going to be moving pretty slow to run a hay bine with a conditioner but I think a 7' hay bine is your best bet unless you can find a stand alone conditioner. Trying to get hay dried without cracking the stems is a tall order especially if you need 4 solid days of drying to get it done.

 

[jerseycows]

Four days to dry huh? That's what salesman don't tell you. Sickle mower is no longer an option, I'll have to find a way to collect myself a haybine or drum mower with conditioning. My neighbor might be able to help me but he works a day job along with running his own farm so I don't feel real confident he could help. I'm also considering a larger tractor because I know the 3520 is kind of small. The mower I originally found was at Salem Farm Supply, I'm guessing Lou knows the boys over there.

 

[LouNY]

Four days to dry huh? That's what salesman don't tell you. Sickle mower is no longer an option, I'll have to find a way to collect myself a haybine or drum mower with conditioning. My neighbor might be able to help me but he works a day job along with running his own farm so I don't feel real confident he could help. I'm also considering a larger tractor because I know the 3520 is kind of small. The mower I originally found was at Salem Farm Supply, I'm guessing Lou knows the boys over there.

Been there once or twice.
A discbine with the flail conditioner will do a good job but they need some horsepower.

 

[Creamer]

If you go with a sickle bar there is the option of a pull behind crimper or pull it in a separate pass. There are some of these still around but for the cost of an old haybine I wouldn't mess with it if your hay is alfalfa or clover. If it is grass hay it will dry in three days - I do that all the time without crimping. If it was crimped it could go in two.

That baler is going to be real tough on your tractor. I would suggest to get an older ag tractor as they are very cheap but are much stronger in the PTO area. A 50-60 hp should do you nicely. that would also run a haybine or discbine.

 

[Farmer495]

You are buying a tedder, then you can cut with a sickle bar.

Unless weather is real different between where you are in NY and me in NS Canada, no way 4 days to dry hay. Mowed with a sickle bar for years, never took 4 days to dry hay. Tedder is the key. Cut Monday night, bale Wed afternoon typical.

 

[LouNY]

If I mow on Monday afternoon with the discbine after giving the dew a chance to get dried off, if we tedded Tuesday rake Wednesday noon start baling late afternoon best case on heavy ground with a good yielding grass or alfalfa. Lighter yielding drier gravelly field a day earlier. Not getting conditioned add at least a day from what I've seen and done.
It also depends on the quality of hay you are trying for, late June early July first cut yields high fiber low protein poor digestibility good for beefers not dairy. Depending on regrowth that may cure faster. Trying for high protein high TDN, around here grass needs to be cut before it heads. Which will be late May early June quite often hard to bet the showers with dry hay, A lot of first cutting goes to haylage or now wrapped baleage to beat the weather. Second and third cuttings lighter yields hotter dryer easier to get bales.

 

[leeave96]

Are you keeping or selling the hay? If selling, for the horse market?