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How to Get the Most from your Hay Mower

Producing quality hay means you need to ensure a lot of factors and conditions are in order before you begin your harvest. Cutting hay is an important part of the agricultural business and special tools and equipment, such as a hay mower, are required for this process. You need to be considerate about the timing, technique, and selection of quality equipment while cutting. For instance, the selection of an inappropriate hay mower might result in poor quality hay. Additionally, the quality of hay is determined by the environment. As a general rule, during the day, the sugar content in the plant decreases considerably, as such, cutting hay in the day or early afternoon is not a good idea and could potentially result in lower quality hay. Moreover, as a farmer you have your own expectations about the quality of output you expect to see. So, farmers want as little damage to the stem of plants as possible regardless of the machine they are using to cut the hay. Additionally, they want maximum crop and minimum dirt content in the hay. All these things are possible if you work following the advised rules and guidelines. We have put together some effective tips to help you make the most out of your agriculture fields by cutting superior quality hay for your trade or own purposes. Further details are given below:

 TLC for the Blade:

A specified blade is used for the process of cutting hay, like other tools and pieces of equipment, this blade also needs a little TLC, after all it helps you get a bulk of hay from your fields. You need to make sure that the blade is sharp enough to cut the forage cleanly without damaging the stems of the plants and shattering their leaves. It’s also important to ensure you’re changing the blade on a regular basis. If you need assistance with this, you can refer to the manual provided by the manufacturers. Another good tip to follow, is to ensure you have stocked a substantial supply of spare blades before the beginning of the hay cutting season, this will mean potential hassles with your blade can be avoided. 

 Opt for an Appropriate Blade:

Make sure you have chosen the right blade that is capable of fitting your hay cutting equipment and fulfilling your needs. For instance, a shallower blade with an angle of 10 to 11 degrees will produce considerably less air lift, thus, helping you avoid the excessive mix up of dirt with forage or whatever crop you are managing to obtain hay from. For bottom bevelled blades, it is possible to throw away a stone or any other kind of hindrance that comes in the way of the blade to keep it distant from the cutter bar. 

 Configure the Right Cutting Height:

The cutting height while cutting forage or any other crop for hay should be around 1.5 to 3 inches. Anything less or more than that can create problems for the crop and the obtained hay. If you set the cutting height correctly then you will be able to minimise the dirt content from the obtained hay. Additionally, it will help you avoid excess wear and tear of the blade and the entire machine that is being used for this. Another thing to consider is the right pitching of the cutter bar so that it is not positioned on a critically steeper angle.