Haying tips?

[zzvyb6]

I welded my own taller custom teeth to the cross conveyer chain. Bales don't dare stick anymore....

 

[jimg]

The last research I read said that grass hay should be cut at 4" because the grass stores the energy within the first 4" for the regrowth. If you cut lower then 4" you will take some of the stored energy and reduce the next growth.

Was this online and do you have a pointer?

 

[Wildcat Ranch]

Here's the pictures. Was taken by a phone so not the best quality. You can see the hole that it used to be in and where it is at now..

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Was this online and do you have a pointer?

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/Cut Grasses Higher Than Alfalfa[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]By Neil Tietz, Editor, Hay & Forage Grower
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Leaving only 2 of stubble when mowing maximizes the yield of alfalfa with little sacrifice in quality. But it may cause stand loss in grasses, warned a researcher at the W.H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, Chazy, NY. Speaking at the recent Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference in Dubuque, IA, Everett Thomas pointed out that physiological differences make cutting height more critical for grasses than for alfalfa.

é„*lfalfa stores its nutrient reserves in its taproot, so cutting it shorter really shouldn稚 have much effect and indeed it does not, said Thomas. 釘ut grass stores the nutrients for the next cut in the bottom 2-4 of the plant. So if we cut too close, weæ±*e not only removing the crop, weæ±*e removing part of the nutrient reserves for the next crop.

In a 2007 greenhouse trial at the institute, cutting first-year reed canarygrass 2 high killed every plant, but plants cut at 4 regrew to 16 in 21 days. Also, recent orchardgrass stand-loss problems in Pennsylvania and Maryland have been traced to cutting that grass about 2 high, Thomas reported. University of Maryland recommendations now say to leave 3-4 of stubble, he added.

Grass cutting height has become an issue with the popularity of disk mowers, he said. å…¸his is something that we didn稚 pay attention to 10 years ago. We didn稚 need to because people had sicklebar mowers and they didn稚 mow at 2? So changes in technology have caused new problems that weæ±*e having to deal with.廿BR>
In his alfalfa cutting-height research, Thomas found that the yield gain from cutting at 2 instead of 4 more than compensates for a modest quality loss. 鉄o what weæ±*e saying now is, unless farmers need that last bit of quality, mow alfalfa at about 2? leaving 5-6 of stubble in that last cut in the fall to hold snow, he said. é„*lso, adjust the mowing height to field conditions.

Alfalfa-grass mixtures are a judgment call. 的f alfalfa is your predominant forage, I壇 probably cut it like alfalfa, maybe 2-2ｽ? If it痴 mostly grass, then raise your cutting height, Thomas advised.[/FONT]

 

[WTA]

I guess my flapper is on right by looking at those. Is that heavy spring there supposed to hold it down under pressure though? Mine just rises and falls under it's own weight.

In looking at mine it looks like that first table conveyer chain is missing a couple of teeth on it. SOmeone has replaced them with just regular links. I'll get some new ones and see how well it moves them across then. I'm pretty sure messicks has them available.

 

[jimg]

Thanx Robert

 

[redneckford]

WTA---That cross feeder chain, the lock release lever, the bale turn lever on the bale chute, and the first table lever have to be all adjusted to your preferred bale length---once all them are set and the "proper" springs or installed on the lock release lever(lever by the cross feeder) and the first table lever (lever return spring) you can pick up 52 Louisiana grass bales in about 12-15 minutes---if "any" of this is out of adjustment or the wrong springs used it can make your tractor problem seem like a cake walk. Couple old 56/6600 Cab tractors without all that emmission control (with new style A/C Compressors of course) sure would make your life less stressful. If one breaks drive the other one. If both break at the same time go get a cup of coffee at Star Bucks cause the good Lord is trying to tell you not to mess with hay that day!!

 

[Renze]

The last research I read said that grass hay should be cut at 4" because the grass stores the energy within the first 4" for the regrowth. If you cut lower then 4" you will take some of the stored energy and reduce the next growth.

.... Hmm... Most of us would NEED to mow that energy in the first 4" to make their cows produce milk.....
I have never seen a dairy farmer cutting 4" long !!! Average cutting length is 2" here.

To stop the effect of slow regrowth, you can add minerals by means of fertiliser or organic manure...

Maybe this is the difference between extensive american farming, and intensive European farming ???

 

[WTA]

What is the purpose of the lever on the front of the stacker? When I pull it, instead of putting two bales across the cross conveyor it does one then right away lifts it to the first table. I need to find a book on this thing.

 

[slowzuki]

Re the lever I'd bet its for the tie layer. It helps keep the top of the stack together.