MacDon 4000 Mower Conditioner - Manual (Page 34)

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OPERATION
HAYING TIPS (continued)
2. CLIMATE AND TOPOGRAPHY
a. Try to have as much hay cut as possible by midday, when drying conditions are best.
b. Fields sloping south get up to 100% more exposure to the sun’s heat than do north sloping fields. If you
bale and chop, consider baling the south facing fields and chopping those facing north.
c. When relative humidity is high, the evaporation rate is low and hay dries slower. If there is no wind,
saturated air becomes trapped around the swath, further hindering the drying process. Raking or tedding
will expose the hay to fresher, less saturated air. Cutting hay perpendicular to the direction of the
prevailing winds may also help.
3. SWATH/WINDROW CHARACTERISTICS
See "Operating Variables" in this section. Control the factors listed to produce a windrow or swath with the
following characteristics:
a. High and fluffy for good air flow.
b. Consistent formation, not bunchy.
c. Even distribution, not piled in the middle.
d. Properly conditioned without excessive leaf damage.
4. RUNNING TRACTOR ON PREVIOUSLY CUT SWATH:
This can lengthen drying time by a full day in hay that will not be raked. If practical, set forming shields for a
narrower windrow that can be straddled. However, in high-yielding alfalfa, driving on the hay may be
unavoidable if a full width swath is necessary.
5. RAKING AND TEDDING
Raking or tedding will speed up drying, however the benefits must be weighed against the additional leaf
losses, which will result. When the ground beneath the down hay is dry, raking or tedding is probably not
worthwhile.
Big windrows or swaths on damp or wet ground should be turned over when they reach 40-50% moisture. Hay
should not be raked or tedded at less than 25% moisture, or excessive yield losses will result.
6. CHEMICAL DRYING AGENTS
Hay drying agents work by removing wax from legume surfaces, enabling water to escape and evaporate
faster. However, treated hay lying on wet ground will also absorb ground moisture faster.
Before deciding to use a drying agent, costs and benefits relative to your area should be carefully compared.