Why do farmers leave bales of hay in fields?
The reason they are in empty fields is that because of their good keeping qualities, you can bale them up and then just leave them where the baler spat them out until you need them – so reduces handling and storage.
What month do farmers bale hay?
From the month of May to late summer and early fall, hay baling is on the minds of many farmers.
How much does a farmer get for a bale of hay?
How much is a hay bale worth? Large round bales of hay are selling for $75 to $90 per ton higher than a year ago, McGill says. Specifically, alfalfa-grade hay bales are priced between $140 and $165 per ton, while grass, midquality hay bales are selling for $125 to $150 per ton.
Why do farmers bail hay?
Large farms with hundreds of animals require huge amounts of hay. For these farms, large bales make the most sense, because they provide the most hay at the least cost. Large bales also allow the hay to begin to ferment naturally, which can prolong its use by preventing rot and mold.
How many times can you bale hay a year?
In most areas of the country, grass hay can be cut twice, sometimes three times, per year. The first cutting generally has the largest yield.
How do you increase yield of hay?
The most efficient way to fertilize a hay field is to split-apply N based on the expected yield of the next growth. The actual rate should be 50 pounds N per ton of expected hay yield. Research has shown that splitting N applications can increase N use efficiency 25 to 35 percent and yields by 5 to 10 percent.
Do cows prefer hay or grass?
Dairy cows need the best hay—with the most nutrients per pound—since they are producing more milk than a beef cow. Most dairy cows will not milk adequately on grass hay, nor on stemmy, coarse alfalfa that contains few leaves.
How many bales of hay can you get per acre?
100 bales
With an average bale weight of around 40 pounds (with our Abbriata small square baler or any of our mini round balers), that’s 100 bales to the acre for a first cutting.
Can you bale wrap dry hay?
Dry round bales wrapped with an in-line wrapper with plastic wraps of 6 to 8 inches overlap can still result in a layer of decomposed hay on the outside of the bale. The basic idea is to keep rain and melting snow from entering the bale and ground moisture from wicking up through the bottom.
