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Kinda OT-hay and my 8n

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Rob N Va

07-30-2003 09:23:38

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I am new to this whole farming biz, so bear with me. I have three heffers, they are small, about 500 pounds a piece. I would like to winter them, to give them more time to get bigger, and make more profit. As I understand it, I would need to get a side sickle bar mower to cut the hay, then a some sort of rake to get it into rows, and then a hay bailer to bail it all up. From everything I have read, the 8n dosen't "pack the gear" to run a hay bailer, right? Except maybe a small square bailer? I have none of the above listed equipment. All I have is a brush hog and a finishmower, which is all I bought the 8n for anyway. If I did make the investment and get all that stuff, how dry do I have to keep the hay to make it suitable for cows? I see a lot of guys in my area just leaving big ol' round bails in rows in the middle of their fields. So, for three cows, that are small, what is the best way to get them fed through the winter, and if I do want to make the plunge into bailing my own hay, what is the best way to go about it, and will the 8n be helpful? Thanks for any feedback! Sorry for the long post. -----Rob

P.S. I have my 3 cows on about 7 acres

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Steve W

07-31-2003 05:58:00

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Re: Kinda OT-hay and my 8n in reply to Rob N Va, 07-30-2003 09:23:38

Rob...don't let the naysayers get you down. I lose money every year on three Herefords....but not much....my cost per entertainment is way less than going to the movies.

I bought an old 501 mower this spring for 75 bucks. Took me a week to get it working right, but that was fun. I painted it up, and she is quite a tool.

I borrowed a hay rake, and after the cut hay dried, I roled it over a few times. Then I just took a big hay rake and pitched it onto my landscaping trailer. I pitched it off into an unused stall in the barn. We'll see if I got enough to make it through the winter, but my guess is it's close.

Next year I will buy a hay rake (looking for one now). Which reminds me of an old joke....the one where the Farmer is asked what he will do with his million dollar lottery winnings....he says "keep farming til it's gone!".

Eventually I will rent more land (a lot of people just want it kept clear and don't charge rental).

Good thing I got a real job.

Take Care
Steve

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tim[in]

07-31-2003 14:37:13

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Re: Re: Kinda OT-hay and my 8n in reply to Steve W, 07-31-2003 05:58:00

there are a lot of those ford /fergie 3pt pto hay rakes around fairly reasonable. for $300-400.oo if i hadnt got my ac pto rake i would have gotten one of them. you are right . you can not put a money on the satisfaction you get from making old things work and learn the tricks to make them operate. plus just the feeling of accomplishment! there is nothing like looking in an old box bed wagon with a foot of ear corn in it to feel like you have a better savings account than could ever happen in any bank!peace of mind now a daysalmost never comes this cheap!good luck!=)

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tim[in]

07-31-2003 03:54:04

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Re: Kinda OT-hay and my 8n in reply to Rob N Va, 07-30-2003 09:23:38

what you could do is take some electric fence and divide the 7 acre pasture into smaller areas and rotate the cows over them. that way the small pasture they have just grazed will haqve time to regorw and you will be able to extend the pasture and the quality of their grazing.if some of it gets too far along for good grazing you can cut it for hay.i would take the bushog and if you can remove the rear shields you can cut the hay with it. try to move along fast enough not to chop up the hay too badly. then if you have a rear 3pt carrier forks like what they use to move those big round bales ,you can make a wooden "buck" rake and pick up the hay by drivng in reverse. this way you can put up hay with what you have and little added investment. plus improve you pasture and the quality of their feed. and you can get by with less "boughten ' hay.of course part of the fun with these old tractors is collecting all the little things that go with them. =)

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Fast Ed Ohio

07-31-2003 00:18:22

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Re: Kinda OT-hay and my 8n in reply to Rob N Va, 07-30-2003 09:23:38

Your going to lose money if you plan on keeping them all winter to fatten them up, its a great hobby, good luck,If you feed them right it will bethe best beef you ever tasted . Most around here send them off to the slaughter house in late November , It has to do with the cost of feeding and the cents per pound you get back .

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Steve(OR)

07-30-2003 12:01:03

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Re: Kinda OT-hay and my 8n in reply to Rob N Va, 07-30-2003 09:23:38

We have two horses living on 4 acres of pasture (pretty well beaten down), and 1 1/2 acres that we use for hay (very productive).

We put the hay up loose in an old sheep shed and so far it has gotten us through 3 winters without buying any extra.

I don't know how much cows eat compared to horses and a lot will depend on the condition of your pastures and storage facilities and how much work you want to put in, but I think loose hay is probably better hay for the animals.

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Jerry/MT

07-30-2003 10:56:01

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Re: Kinda OT-hay and my 8n in reply to Rob N Va, 07-30-2003 09:23:38

I agree with the previous post. The investment in hay equipment (mower, rake and baler) for a three head operation will never pay for it self. Buy your hay. It's doubtful that you can sustainably raise enough on seven acres, graze your cows and have enough grasss left to have someone put hay up on shares.

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ag econ 101==bj/8n/mt

07-30-2003 10:44:03

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Re: Kinda OT-hay and my 8n in reply to Rob N Va, 07-30-2003 09:23:38

Around here you can buy good cow hay for sixty a ton or less. If you haven't seeded or fertilized you will be doing good to make a ton an acre most places. You are not going to buy a decent baler let alone the other stuff you need and get change from five hundred bucks.

Again around here--southwest Montana there are a few guys who will bale even that small a place on shares--you keep half and they fix what breaks.

Unless you just want the fun of putting up hay--and if you call if fun you probably haven't done it--buy hay or get it done on shares.

Your mileage may vary

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