There’s science behind that expression, and now the pressure is on –it’s time to cut hay. While this is always a stressful time for local farmers, this year it has been more challenging than usual, and of course we can thank Mother Nature for that. The cool, wet spring has delayed the greening and growth of grasses in the fields and delayed the seeding of new hay fields. In addition, hay inventories are exceptionally low this year. Last year’s drought conditions (it’s always something, isn’t it?) reduced the hay supply despite the fact that some farmers took a fall cut. Then we had a wet fall, which is not ideal for hay. Then we had a late spring, so animals were late going to pasture putting more pressure on hay supplies. The number of acres for hay has also fallen recently as higher crop prices have made corn and soy more attractive alternatives. These conditions led to record hay prices this spring and minimal remaining stock.
But what is hay, after all? First, let’s get our terminology right. Hay is a mixture of grasses which could include ryegrass, timothy, brome, clover and alfalfa which has dried and baled. It is the main source of feed for most livestock when pasture is inadequate or unavailable because of the season. It is not to be confused with straw, which is the hollow shaft remaining after the harvest of oats, barley or wheat and is used primarily for bedding.
So back to the sunshine. To “make hay”, the grasses must be cut and left to dry over a few days, then it is baled and protected from the elements – either brought into storage or covered in some fashion. Perfect hay has never been rained on and is cut at precisely the right moment. This requires 3-4 consecutive rain-free days at the time when the hay crop is at the right stage of development. Timing is everything. But even that is more complicated than you might think. Ideal hay is different for different animals, according to Lyndsey Smith of realagriculture.com. Ruminant animals such as cattle and sheep can tolerate less than ideal hay because of their 4 chambered stomachs and slower digestive systems. Even then, dairy cattle prefer bud stage alfalfa and beef cattle prefer slightly later alfalfa which sports an early bloom, but all ruminants can eat older hay which has a lower nutritional value and can tolerate some mold. Then there are horses, the finicky eaters. Because they have a single-chambered stomach, they need a more consistent diet and need high quality hay.
In the photo is Carl Gillis of County Rd 10 raking his hay on Monday morning after cutting it almost a week earlier. It had not dried sufficiently to bale due to humidity. Unfortunately for Carl and many others in his situation, we had rain on Sunday night. Raking expedites the drying process by exposing different parts of the cut grasses to sun and wind, and Carl was hoping to get the crop dry enough to bale before more rain came. Even if there is not enough time to “draw in” the crop, once hay is baled, the damage from rain is limited because very little of it is exposed to the elements. The news for Carl got worse, as rain came Monday afternoon but he and Allan Bigelow decided to bale that night because more rain was in the forecast. This time the forecast was correct, so it was a good call. The moisture content in hay is not just about feed quality, it is also about safety. Hay with higher than 25% moisture content is dangerous because fermentation of the crop can lead to spontaneous combustion. Hay can be treated with acid to reduce the chances of explosion!
To reduce their vulnerability to weather conditions, some farmers have opted to cut hay early and wrap the bales in heavy gage white plastic. You have probably seen these staked in rows looking like giant marshmallows. Inside is haylage, which is hay that is cut and stored wet (50-60% moisture). This wrapping prevents spoilage by keeping oxygen out. As a feed source it has a higher nutritional value but is a more expensive option and is used only for top quality hay. Because haylage bales are wet, they are much heavier than traditional bales so extraordinary caution must be exercised when moving them around. If the plastic gets pierced, rotting ensues. As weather patterns become more volatile, we might see more of these marshmallows around in the future.
There is plenty more rain in the forecast this week, so farmers will be anxious to find an opening to get their crops off the field in time to allow for later cuts. It looks like another challenging year.
