Hay Yield Question

[potatoguru]

How many bales (50 pound small square bales) can I expect per acre with grass like this? Its a pasture mix from the local farm store but there's quite a bit of orchard-grass and I believe fescue in it. It ranges from 4 to 5 feet tall. I fertilized with 16-16-16 at the rate of 200 pounds per acre back in March. We've also had a pretty wet spring this year. I'll attach pics. Thank you very much for any help I appreciate it.

[FarmboyBill]

At that highth id say between 75 and 100

[haypoint]

Between a ton and two tons per acre. That is 40 to 80 bales per acre. 4 to 5 feet tall? Really? Seems hay should be cut long before it gets that rank.

[idigbeets]

Yea that is getting to be pretty mature for hay cutting. Get er done !

[Spamela]

He said it has been a wet spring. Perhaps it has been too wet to bale.

I would say around 100

[Callieslamb]

I wish my field looked that good - 4 ft or not.

[jwal10]

I would say all of 2 ton/acre. We had 1 short good spell, a few got their hay off. The weather guessers are saying a good stretch of weather now. Most years, hay doesn't get cut before the first of June, here. A lot of hay doesn't get cut until after the 4th of July. Still makes good hay, but yes it is rank....James

[Terri]

Do you have access to a hula hoop or something similar?

Take the hoop and fling it into the field to get a more random sample. Cut with a knife and dry it.

Figure the area of the hoop and weigh the dry grass. If you have 1 pound of hay per x square feet then you will have y pounds of hay in a field of your square feet. Divide by the weight of your bales.

By the way, you have a beautiful field!

[potatoguru]

I cut the field on Sunday, really nice grass. Sickle bar mower worked like a charm even in the thick grass that was lodged/leaning. But the mower did need a little revamping. Tried to cut it on saturday but the mower didn't work due too the old belts and blades. So I went down to the local kubota dealer and bought new serrated blades, the same ones they put on swathers. It took a little retrofitting to get them to fit on the mower but I got them on. Hope to have it baled by Thursday/Friday If i can get it to dry out well. I'll post how many bales to an acre I got for those who are curious. Here's a video of me cutting:

YouTube

[jwal10]

You need a swath board on the end of the mower bar to keep the end from plugging up. The swath board leaves a bare spot for the next round, grass cut is pushed away from the standing grass....James

[potatoguru]

Originally Posted by jwal10

You need a swath board on the end of the mower bar to keep the end from plugging up. The swath board leaves a bare spot for the next round, grass cut is pushed away from the standing grass....James

I believe I have one already, you should be able to see it at 0:16.

[jwal10]

Owners manual for the #32. Figure 70 shows your swath board....James

http://www.ntractorclub.com/forums/m...sages/561.html


Another picture showing a swath board.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mowe...00%3B834%3B478

[idigbeets]

Besides the swather board, you can take off the last section (probably a B+) and put on a double section. You should be able to find these at most parts dealers.

[COWS]

Nice outfit, doing good work. Not familar with the MF 32. I wouldn't drive around with the bucket in the air because of possiblity of the weight on turnes making the tractor tip over.

COWS

[Spamela]

Thanks for the update! I was hoping you would come back and tell us how many bales you got

[potatoguru]

Got it baled finally. Took forever to dry. Averaged 81 bales to the acre. 60 pound small squares.