[symber]

Hello,

  can I cut grass with a topper and then bale it?  I've been told that I can, but I've also been told that I can't, as a topper doesn't cut the grass "the right way".

  What sort of mower should I use if not a topper?  I'll be doing this with an International 454...

Thanks for any advice

[Me]

I do know a person who set the topper to lowest poss and used it to cut hay - I never asked him how he got on though!

[Fleecewife]

The topper just chops the grass stems into small mushy pieces.  You need a proper hay mower which lays the long stems in an orderly way without bruising them - ours has twin rotary discs and a skirt like a hovercraft  .  Or you could use an Allen scythe, or even a manual scythe if you don't have much to do.  You will then need to turn it for a few days until it's dry before you can bale it, unless you wilt, bale and wrap, in which case you can make silage or haylage

[symber]

Thanks both for your advice and knowledge on this.

That's what I thought - one of my neighbours swore blind a topper would be fine, so it just made me wonder...

Can I pose another question?  What are the relative merits of a finger-bar cutter compared to a disk cutter?

Thanks

[Fleecewife]

Price and ease of use.  Disc mower is ideal - ours was second hand and needs some maintenance every now and then.

[Marches Farmer]

Read a study last year that recommended turning the crop for the first time within 45 minutes of cutting, for the shortest time drying it.  The more you turn it the quicker it will make.

[Fleecewife]

Read a study last year that recommended turning the crop for the first time within 45 minutes of cutting, for the shortest time drying it.  The more you turn it the quicker it will make.

Yes and no - too much turning smashes up the stalks, which then lose some of the nutritional content.  Need to maintain a happy medium - turn enough to dry it, not so much you smash it.

[stufe35]

A 5'6" drum mower will be your best option, plenty around, easy to use and maintain,  fingers are old hat now and in inexperienced hands can easily be broken......disc mowers are few and far between to suit a 454.

If you haven't bought anything yet, consider putting your money in your hay turner...you only cut grass once a year, but will need to turn it a minimum of daily for at least a week before rowing it up...that's at least seven operations.

You might get a local farmer or vintage enthusiast to mow it....

[symber]

Hello all,

  thanks for your help and advice - it's much appreciated.

  I'm keen to do the whole process myself - cutting, turning and baling.  I have an old square baler I'm fixing, I have a tractor, I have a topper I've borrowed but the only thing I'm missing is a mower of some sort.

   I've not looked at drum mowers yet - time to spend some more time on ebay

  Thanks for your help

[stufe35]

What acreage ? And have you a turner ?

[stufe35]

Read a study last year that recommended turning the crop for the first time within 45 minutes of cutting, for the shortest time drying it.  The more you turn it the quicker it will make.

Realistically I think its sunshine you need to make hay....you can turn it all day , without sunshine you wont get hay......no point in turning it if the bit on top hasn't dried significantly.