Haying Process

[flusher]

What kind of yield(50 pound small square bales) can I expect per acre with grass like this? There's quite a bit of orchard-grass and I believe fescue in it. It ranges from 4 to 5 feet tall. I fertilized with 16-16-16 at the rate of 200 pounds per acre back in March. I'll attach pics. Thank you very much for the replies guys I really appreciate it.
View attachment 377291

View attachment 377292

My neighbor baled his 8 acre irrigated hayfield two weeks ago (forage mix plus a little vetch). He got about 2-3/4 tons per acre. His baler is 3-twine (100-120 lb) and he stacked 430 bales. Sold the lot for $12/bale.

 

[orangehay]

Hmm. 80 per acre was about what I got last year without fertilizer. I thought the fertilizer would increase it to more like 120. We've had a pretty wet spring also.

 

[Tx Jim]

Hmm. 80 per acre was about what I got last year without fertilizer. I thought the fertilizer would increase it to more like 120. We've had a pretty wet spring also.

You will probably surpass my guess. Looking at grass in person VS a photo is a totally different thing. Heck in my 25+ yrs custom baling hay I've fooled myself on amt of production per acre even when looking in PERSON.

 

[Bigfoot62]

At 4'-5' tall a lot more sq bales per acre than this old man care's to haul. I'll guess 80 per acre.

I'm with Jim on that one!!!

 

[orangehay]

I cut the field on Sunday, really nice grass. Sickle bar mower worked like a charm even in the thick grass that was lodged/leaning. But the mower did need a little revamping. Tried to cut it on saturday but the mower didn't work due too the old belts and blades. So I went down to the local kubota dealer and bought new serrated blades, the same ones they put on swathers. It took a little retrofitting to get them to fit on the mower but I got them on. Only took me about 3 hours to cut the entire field, so I did an acre an hour. Hope to have it baled by Thursday/Friday If i can get it to dry out well. I'll post how many bales to an acre I got for those who are curious.

 

[orangehay]

Here's a video of me out there cutting it. I was using a 6ft Massey Ferguson #32 Sickle bar mower, with new serrated blades of course.

 

[orangehay]

Got it baled finally. Took forever to dry. Averaged 81 bales to the acre.

 

[rtimgray]

Orangehay - loved the video and good job on the hay. I just have to chime in that it has been about 25-30 years since I've used a sickle mower (we switched to using a disc mover when our old sickle wouldn't cut our clover without clogging). I can vaguely remember going throught field at about the speed your were going. I can remember when the sickle was working well, it was a smooth, if slow, day. When we got our first disc mower, we were simply amazed at how fast we could cut.

Anyway, once again, good job and thanks for posting a snippet.

Good luck and take care.

 

[flusher]

Here's a video of me out there cutting it. I was using a 6ft Massey Ferguson #32 Sickle bar mower, with new serrated blades of course.

Excellent video. I had the same experience with my MF #31 sicklebar and the 5525 Mahindra--clogging. It's a chore shifting into reverse to clear the clogs with the simple transmission/two stage clutch in that 5525. A hydrostatic tranny is much better for that task.

I rebuilt the mower several times but it still isn't perfect. If it ever rains again here in No. CA during my lifetime, I'll try haying again--and this time with a 5-ft drum mower.

Good luck.

 

[Tx Jim]

Got it baled finally. Took forever to dry. Averaged 81 bales to the acre.

This old cogger guessed bale count per acre fairly close when I guessed 80.:laughing: