When Is the Best Time of Day to Cut Hay?
It’s the eternal debate: Does cutting alfalfa and grass later in the day actually improve hay quality? The answer is both yes and no.
Read MoreGet your hay off the field sooner and improve hay quality.
By Boyce Upholt
The experts all agree: When you cut hay is important, but what matters most is drying it—and doing it fast. And the design of your conditioner can make all the difference.
The patented TwinMax Advanced Conditioner from Hesston by Massey Ferguson®—available in both the 9100 and 9200 Series RazorBar™ disc headers—features herringbone steel-on-steel rollers, which crimp the stems to produce moisture-release points, while touching the leaves as little as possible. On the other hand, the rubber rollers found on other brands’ conditioners have a tendency to smash leaves, leading to more leaf loss and lower quality.
Also, TwinMax features not just one, but two sets of rollers mounted in-line—an industry exclusive—which allows for “double conditioning.” The benefit to the producer? It saves anywhere from a half-day to two days of drying time.
Not only does that improve relative feed value, but it can make all the difference in avoiding the next rain. “Thanks to university studies and expert analysis, we know that getting the crop cut and out of the field fast is the best way to maintain quality,” says Matt LeCroy, marketing manager for Hesston by Massey Ferguson Hay & Forage. “The Hesston by Massey Ferguson TwinMax delivers exclusive double crimping, leading to faster dry down.”
Learn more: Read about the TwinMax Advanced Conditioner and the industry-leading WR9900 windrower.