Hay Equipment Help, Pls.

[Fret Fodder]

I need to improve my hay harvesting process. Does somebody make a single piece of equipment that will cut the hay and leave it in windrows without the additional step of raking it? I know equipment like hay bines condition the hay, but the ones I've seen don't leave it "fluffed" up like the rake does so it can dry out. My tractor has 56 PTO HP. Thanks in advance.

 

[DaveNay]

I have honestly never heard of a method that allows you to skip the raking part. My perspective on the raking is that it gets the hay that is at the bottom of the row up to the top so that it can get air and thus dry. Without this turning process, you end up with dry hay on top and wet hay underneath. This is obviously bad for your bales. ;-)

What I use is a New-Idea Cut-Ditioner that works similar to the hay bines and allows the hay to dry quicker. I think it does this by leaving a ragged end on the stem and allowing the moisture to exit easier. I also use this machine to "rake" the windrow by adjusting the height and exit chutes.

I can get a nice dry hay crop in as little as 48 hours. Unfortunately this equipment has a pretty high HP requirement of at least 90+ HP.

 

[Erik]

neighbor who puts up about 1600 small bales a year has a cutter/crimper that allows him to cut in the morning and bale in the evening of the same day, but I don't know if he rakes after cutting.

 

[Trakternut]

I think the crimp rolls on a haybine can be loosened so the rolls, more or less, just "spit" the windrow out. However, for alfalfa, or other dense haylage, crimping isn't a bad option, especially when you're racing the weather.

 

[Deerlope]

The adjustable wings on the rear of the haybine should windrow it for you. However keep in mind that the more you windrow it the slower it will dry.Most baler have a 5 foot wide pickup head. If you let it come out of the bine 4 foot wide it will dry in no time.

 

[Fret Fodder]

Thanks guys for all the great info.