[Pony-n-trap]

How many times can fresh cut hay get rained on before its deemed useless??

Thanks to the weather forecast being TOTALLY wrong we are now thinking our hay will be wasted.

[Wizard]

Hello P the YTV Forecast is seldom right for Grimsby Look at today 30c this afternoon horrible  so long as it doesn't get wet and dry out comepletely  a couple of times but its better not Don't get it damp though it will go mouldy in the bale   

[Roxy]

Well, I prefer it not to have been rained on at all .....but having said that, we did get some last year (a miracle given the wet summer!) and it rained overnight, but fortunately it was in big rows, so only the top got wet, and we just wuffled it through again.

How long had it been cut?  And had it been turned?  Was it nearly dry before the rain?  If its just been cut, and then it rains, it does not worry me, its when its been turned, and nearly ready, then gets wet, not good.  But, if its just rained on the once, and gets dry ok, should be ok.

Was wanting mine cut, but farmer said to wait, as he heard the long range weather forecast.....or I too would have been looking at wet hay. Been very hot and sunny here today, and now its raining. Had quite a bit of rain on Saturday, and yesterday morning, then it brightened up.  Not ideal hay making weather though.

Good luck, hope you get your hay. Hate to see wasted hay.

[Wizard]

Sorry Roxy I misunderstood the question but of course

[Anke]

Mine already is wasted! Been lying for a week, got turned once and been rained on EVERY day, at least ONCE! No choice if you are depending on contractor!!!

Fortunately I have got some haylage for the sheep, but as its in big bales I am not going to feed it to the goats, too worried about listeriosis. Hey ho, the search is on for some good hay (a contradiction in terms for this summer I know!)....  want to move to the southeast (of England, there seems to have been no rain for weeks now!!!)

[Roxy]

Sorry Anke about your hay.  My ponies will eat rained on hay, but goats far too fussy, and seem to know.  Its not rained for weeks here, until middle of last week, and now its started seems unable to stop.  Absolutely tipping it down as I type.  Not much small hay made here, all big round bales, or big haylage bales.  So any small bales are expensive. Local feed store selling at over £4 per bale, and straw is £3.50 a bale too.

[Cobra]

Hay prices are going to keep climbing I fear, I have managed to purchase some small bail at a good price and got it tucked away for later, I was lucky. Ehm maybe Ill sell it in November 

As has been mentioned your issue is mould, either developing whilst its on teh ground or in the bale after. Any moisture will not only breed mould but will enduce heat when stacked, make sure you stack with gaps for air vents if you go ahead. hope you get a crop there.

Joking aside its an all round bad year, some grain crops are going to be down almost a ton per acre they reccon, the corn here is no where near its hight. "Corn in July should be Knee high" NOT
The grain heads need the moisture whilst they develop, thats in May, if they dont get it then and it didnt of course, theres no recovery; thats it. Sorry Im waffeling and getting off the topic. 

[lazybee]

If it smells okay and isn't rank and the colour is still good it should be fine. if it isn't quite as good as you would have liked, may be you could swap it with the farmer for some better stuff. I have done this before with my neighbour as his cattle are less fussy than my horses. Good luck

[Hardfeather]

If you make it into haylage, you will have something saleable or swappable.

[Fleecewife]

Thurs, Fri and Sat are looking ok on the forecast here - need to see beyond that to see if it's worth cutting ours.  Last year we deliberately cut when it was raining as we had a five day window of sunshine coming up and it's far better for newly cut hay to be rained on than just-about-ready hay.  Some years ours has been totally soaked when half ready but has dried out ok afterwards. The nutritional quality will not be so good so with poorer quality hay you may need to supplement with more concentrates like coarse mix, if it's sheep you are feeding.  As they say here - 'it'll fill their bellies' ie bulk and roughage but they will need more nutrition.  I have noticed that in England making hay seems a bit leisurely whereas in Scotland it's always a gamble so when we get 5 clear days the whole countryside goes into frantic haymaking mode.  When hay lies soaked, it tends to rot underneath so it looks ok on top of the windrows but is a disaster where you can't see it.  Also, the more you whiffle it the more the stems break so the more nutrients are lost - but if it gets wet thats what you have to do as it must be perfectly dry before you bale.

[Roxy]

Our haymaking is never leisurely - for the past three years, its been a nail biting time trying to get it done before the rain. I only do two smallish fields, making 225 small bales, and wonder why I bother, with all the stress it gives me. Farmer cuts it for us, and turns it, and bales it.  He is very good, being of the old school, he is always here when he says he will, and will not mow unless he gets a long range weather forecast.

He says he will be here to mow as soon as the weather picks up, which looking at the heavy rain we had last night and its raining again, may be some time yet.

[Pony-n-trap]

We managed to turn it Sunday and twice today, Sea Haar has come in now, just hoping that it doesnt bring rain, its nearly ready and smells lovely, fingers crossed!!

[Anke]

Well, mine was turned into haylage today, as the forecast is again awful. Just managed to order 100 small bales of hay at 4quid a bale.... but I hope that's enough for the goats, and the sheep will have some haylage. Fortunately the farmer who did the field is paying a bit for the haylage and also for his cows in my other field, so it will not be quite 4 pounds to pay.... (but at least I don't absolutely have to sell my (goat) kids!)

[TheCaptain]

How much are you guys paying for the various bits and pieces that need doing - cutting, turning, rowing up and then baling? 

[Roxy]

Up until this year, the farmer has grazed his cattle and then knocked my hay money out of his rent for land money at the end of the season.  I am pretty sure he charges me £200 for mowing, turning however many times, and then baling.  Thats cheaper than all the contractors over here though.  I think some charge a hefty hourly rate, which mounts up, if it needs turning a few times.