haying equipment questions

[jerseycows]

I've tried to switch to baleage but my wife didn't want to for various reasons and more importantly our dairy nutritionist said no fermented feed if we want to make cheese and sell direct. Just dry hay, grain, and barley fodder. (Which we will be growing year round indoors). It would have helped me out but no can do.
Mike

 

[LouNY]

I had heard that some cheeses didn't work well with silage, I believe it was the hard and semi hard cheese could have a problem with some bacteria that may be present in some milks.
Your dry hay will be the most important variable that you can control in your situation, grasses before they head will yield upwards to 20% protein with good digestibility.
Good luck with your equipment selection and hay harvesting.

 

[jerseycows]

Yes, Listeria is the big one. It kills people. The big makers ultra pasteurize which kills everything, so no problem. Thanks for helping out, I really appreciate your time and knowledge. I'm going to persist and eventually land with something that works. There are plenty of options out there and its just a matter of time until I find them. I've found lots of help here.

 

[CobyRupert]

We found that if I make 4' bales, I can make a bale in about the same time as it takes my wife to pickup a bale and run it to the barn.

Aaron Z

How does this compare to a tractor carrying it to the barn?

 

[jerseycows]

That's a strong woman indeed.

 

[powerscol]

jerseycows
I have been watching this thread. If you look in my signature you will see the equipment that I hay with. My tractor is smaller than yours and I am at 7000+ feet in elevation. I run a Heston 4550 baler with ease. MF entry level round baler only needs 30 HP. I cut either with my 9' IH 1300 sickle, or my PZ 170 drum mower depending on grass conditions. I tedd both cuttings at day 2 to get better drying. Also for moving the hay I have a small hay grapple - no more moving by hand.

So yes it can be done as I have been doing ir for several years now. If you search my user name you will find what I went through .
Good luck.

 

[aczlan]

How does this compare to a tractor carrying it to the barn?

She uses the B7500 rather than moving it by hand.

That's a strong woman indeed.

Don't get in her way

Aaron Z

 

[Creamer]

jerseycows
I have been watching this thread. If you look in my signature you will see the equipment that I hay with. My tractor is smaller than yours and I am at 7000+ feet in elevation. I run a Heston 4550 baler with ease. MF entry level round baler only needs 30 HP. I cut either with my 9' IH 1300 sickle, or my PZ 170 drum mower depending on grass conditions. I tedd both cuttings at day 2 to get better drying. Also for moving the hay I have a small hay grapple - no more moving by hand.

So yes it can be done as I have been doing ir for several years now. If you search my user name you will find what I went through .
Good luck.

Not to be a downer but drying hay at 7000+ elevation in the much dryer Colorado climate is a whole lot different than drying it in New York state.

It is interesting that your tractor handles the baler that well though. that is good news.

 

[zzvyb6]

That's for sure. I'm originally from N.Y. State. Do they have a special tax yet on hay seeds, hay bales, baler twine, rake teeth, sickle knives, tedder hour meters, tractor horsepower, cow farts or on-farm diesel fuel ? If not yet, when are they going begin ?

 

[LouNY]

That's for sure. I'm originally from N.Y. State. Do they have a special tax yet on hay seeds, hay bales, baler twine, rake teeth, sickle knives, tedder hour meters, tractor horsepower, cow farts or on-farm diesel fuel ? If not yet, when are they going begin ?

Not yet, Dictator Cumo hasn't yet figured out what lies will work the best to shove it down working peoples throat.