What do you call someone who bales hay?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
How much do hay bales cost?
From the hay market, square bales, on average, will cost you between $3 and $10 per bale, but some farmers prefer selling their hay per pound, in which case such a bale will be around 50 pounds.
Is making hay profitable?
Brown says using 2019 numbers, it costs about $400 an acre to plant corn on ground that may yield 150 bushels per acre. “If you are getting $125 per ton for quality hay, you are going to see a profit of $51 per ton, or $204 per acre. “The potential is there to make some pretty good money on hay.”
How much does a 3 string bale of hay cost?
Bale #1 = $ 8.50 per bale; weight is 100 pounds. Bale #2 = $ 9.00 per bale; weight is 125 pounds. Example I: Bale #2: (2000 lb) x $9.00 = $144.00 per ton 125 lb.
Is it cost effective to bale your own hay?
Given today’s high machinery costs, custom hay harvesting may be a more profitable option than harvesting with your own machinery, particularly for smaller operations. In some markets, it may be cheaper to buy someone else’s hay and use your own forage for additional grazing.
How much horsepower is needed to run a round baler?
55 PTO horsepower
How can I improve my hay field?
For hay, mow the field with a rotary mower to remove problem plants by cutting them before they set viable seed. Till to control tenacious, perennial weeds, such as bedstraw, and then seed. The best time to seed is in May or in the first three weeks of August, when seed will survive and compete with weeds better.
Is it cheaper to buy hay or make it?
In most environments where forage production is based on natural rainfall, you can almost always buy hay cheaper than you can produce it. Most farmers and ranchers initially don’t believe this. When full cost of production is accounted for, hay generally costs between $70 and $140/ton to produce.
What happens if you bale wet hay?
In summary: Wet bales are at risk for combustion, store appropriately and check temperatures. Anything above 170°F is high risk. Mold may produce mycotoxins, so roll out and let animals select good portions of moldy bales.
Can I make my own hay?
You don’t need a tractor and big farm equipment to make hay, it’s extremely easy to do on your own. All you need is access to grass and somewhere to dry and store it. Grass is in many places a free resource, and often times a spent one. While it’s not an essential part of poultry keeping it has is uses.
Do you plant alfalfa every year?
Growing Alfalfa – How To Plant Alfalfa. Alfalfa is a cool-season perennial commonly grown for feeding livestock or as a cover crop and soil conditioner.
How long does it take to grow alfalfa?
about 40 days
How much does it cost to plant an acre of alfalfa?
Alfalfa has to be planted at around 25 pounds per acre if I remember correctly. A 50 pound bag of seed is around $200 last I heard a few years back, so $100 an acre just for seed. Probably $120-150 per acre including tillage costs.
What is the best time of year to plant alfalfa?
In years with adequate rainfall, late summer or fall is typically the best time to establish alfalfa. Yields from late summer seeding are generally higher than yields from spring seeded alfalfa in the establishment year.
Where does alfalfa grow best?
Alfalfa can be sown in spring or fall, and does best on well-drained soils with a neutral pH of 6.8–7.5. Alfalfa requires sustained levels of potassium and phosphorus to grow well.
Can you spray 24d on alfalfa?
Herbicides need to be applied before a killing freeze and when there is sufficient alfalfa growth (generally 4 to 6 inches). Though growth-regulating herbicides such as 2,4-D and dicamba in combination are very effective for terminating alfalfa, they won’t kill perennial grass species.
What is the seeding rate for alfalfa?
Seeding rate. For pure alfalfa stands, 18 to 20 pounds per acre should be planted. For mixed stands with grass, 15 to 16 pounds per acre is recommended. For broadcast seeding, seeding rates need to be increased by 10 to 20 percent.
Can you overseed alfalfa?
Most producers would probably prefer to overseed additional alfalfa into a thin stand. However, overseeding alfalfa stands over one year old with additional alfalfa seed is not recommended due to the likelihood of autotoxicity issues.
Can you broadcast seed alfalfa?
Alfalfa may be frost-seeded, broadcast, no-tilled or drilled into a prepared seedbed. With a prepared seedbed, the soil should be very firm to ensure good soil to seed contact. When broadcasting, you should firm the field with a cultipacker or roller before and after planting.
At what temperature does alfalfa germinate?
Alfalfa can germinate at temperatures greater than 37˚F but optimum germination temperature is between 65 and 77˚F. As soil warms, the rate of germination increases because of increased water movement into the seed and because of increases in the rate of other metabolic activities associated with germination.
How long does it take for alfalfa seed to germinate?
six days
How much does alfalfa grow per day?
The ET at peak periods of 0.4 inches/day (10 mm/day) can reach 4080 tons of water per acre and 45 tons per acre per day.
Will Frost kill alfalfa?
Established alfalfa will outgrow the damage from a light freeze (upper 20s for several hours). Moderate freeze damage will kill the upper part of the stem and terminal buds, but not warrant any action. Regrowth must occur from lower axillary buds on the stem or from new crown buds.
What is a killing frost for alfalfa?
In its simplest form a killing freeze is when temperatures get cold enough to kill all the top growth on the alfalfa plant. The plant wilts, turns tan, and its leaves fall off.
What kills alfalfa?
While many herbicides are available to remove alfalfa, the most popular active ingredients include glyphosate, 2,4-D, and/or dicamba. While glyphosate has no plant-back restrictions for other crops, 2,4-D and dicamba do.
Is alfalfa toxic after a frost?
This build-up usually isn’t hazardous to grazing animals, but green chop or hay cut right after a freeze can be more dangerous. Forage legumes such as alfalfa and clovers have an increased risk of bloat when grazed one or two days after a hard frost.