Purdue Extension helps producers ensure successful hay harvest

With the hay harvest just a few weeks away, two free “Beef Tips” videos now available from Purdue Extension could help Indiana beef producers maximize the quality and quantity of their forage crops.

The videos were developed by Ron Lemenager, Extension beef specialist, and Keith Johnson, Extension forage specialist.

“Most beef producers rely on harvested forages as a primary feed resource during at least part of the winter-feeding period and when dry weather during the growing season reduces pasture growth,” Lemenager said.

The first video, “Timing of Hay Harvest,” examines proper cutting techniques for common grasses and legumes — including tall fescue, orchardgrass, alfalfa and red clover — and provides tips on how to determine proper bale moisture content and monitor internal bale temperature to reduce the fire risk. It can be downloaded from Purdue Extension’s The Education Store at https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?Item_Number=AS-655-WV.

“To make excellent quality hay, the forage needs to be cut at the right growth stage and packaged into a bale at the right moisture content without incidence of rain damage, Johnson said. “Baling hay too wet can result in mold formation, reduced quality and the possibility of spontaneous combustion. When the hay is baled too dry, leaf loss occurs which results in less yield and quality.”

“The Process of Making Dry Hay” includes step-by-step tips on the proper use of equipment needed to make dry hay. Topics include modern mowing technologies, when and how to use tedders, proper raking techniques and the differences between round and square bales. It can be downloaded from The Education Store at https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?Item_Number=AS-654-WV.

Featured Stories

Students gather at Purdue Summer Science Program on campus at Purdue

Donation takes Summer Science Program to the next level

If you’re on Purdue’s campus in the summer, you may notice a group of students...

Mary Strickland - Graduate Ag Research Spotlight

Mary Strickland is a lifelong animal lover — so much so that she admits to occasionally...

Finding beauty in the mess—the perspective of a botany and art double major

A low, whirring hum fills your ears as you step into the building. As your eyes adjust to the...

Ismail Olaniyi flies a UAV up above the trees.

The crossroads between lemon trees and technology

In warmer southern and western states, citrus orchards are important for feeding and bringing...

Combined microbiome datasets yield accurate prediction of animal ages

An analysis combining the results of 14 studies from around the globe has uncovered some common...

Rehabilitation through agricultural skills with Purdue Farmer-to-Farmer Trinidad and Tobago

Gardening and poultry care are sometimes seen as trendy hobbies in the U.S., but in Trinidad and...