hayharvesting

Hay harvesting is the practice of cutting grasses or legumes to produce hay for animal feed. It is common in temperate regions and typically occurs during late spring to summer when plants are mature but before seed heads fully form.

Mowing is usually done with a tractor-drawn mower or mower-conditioner that cuts the crop and begins physical conditioning of the stems. The cut material is laid into windrows to increase surface area for drying. Tedding, or turning, is used to aerate the material and speed moisture loss.

Drying time depends on weather, crop type, and cut height, but generally lasts one to three days. The goal is a moisture content around 15 to 20 percent before baling to minimize spoilage and heating in storage.

Baling and storage follow drying. When sufficiently dry, the hay is gathered into bales with round or square balers. Round bales are space efficient for field transport and feeding, while square bales are easier to stack and store in barns. Bales should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated space to reduce mold and spontaneous heating.

Common hay types include grass hay such as timothy or meadow fescue and legume hay such as alfalfa or clover; mixtures are also used. Legume hay typically offers higher protein content.

Safety and timing considerations include monitoring weather to avoid rain during drying, preventing spontaneous combustion in stored hay, and following machinery safety practices during mowing, raking, and baling.