Harvesting, Raking
Windrow Formation
Windrows make drying, raking and baling more convenient. But you want to ensure that your equipment also makes a nicely shaped windrow that will increase dry down efficiency and produce neatly shaped bales. A fluffy windrow will help your hay dry more quickly because it will allow more air and sunshine to pass through to the parts not exposed to the elements.
Your rake has adjustments, which allow you to change the volume and shape of your windrow, depending on the volume of crop that has been cut. Windrow formation is very important. In fact, you might be surprised to find that your windrow shape and width will even make a difference in how long your bale will last, how well it will shed rain and even how easy it will be to feed.
Windrow Formation Tips
- Let your dealer get to know your operation. It has been said that raking is the most important job in the hay field. That means that the type of rake you use is very important as well. Make sure you talk to your equipment dealer about your field and crop conditions, as well as the type of baler that you have so they can make sure to set you up with just the right rake.
- Make sure your windrow is as tall as square as possible. A windrow with a flat top and straight sides helps to build a flat topped, square shouldered bale that stores and keeps well.
- Try to eliminate excessive bunching and clumping of the windrow. See your operators manual for adjustments and operating instructions to help you avoid bunches in your windrows. Even windrow density is very important to bale shape and to getting your hay to dry down consistently. Generally, when windrows are clumped, the windrow will be ready to bale within a normal window of time except the bunched or "clumpy" areas, which have not had the same exposure to air and sunlight. In this instance, you have two options: bale right away, or to wait for all of the hay to dry. The problem with baling right away in this situation is that you will bale up "slugs" or clumps of wet hay along with your dry hay, potentially causing spoilage to a bale that would otherwise be fine. If you wait for the clumps to dry down to the proper moisture content, the rest of the windrow will probably become too dry, which can cause the crop to shatter, leaving important nutrients in the field.
- Measure your windrow. Make sure to adjust your rake so that it leaves a windrow that is either
1/2 the width of your baler's pickup or exactly the full width of the baler pickup. This will make a big difference
in the type of bale that you make. For example, a windrow that is 2/3 the width of the balers pickup will not allow
the operator to swerve properly over the windrow. This will cause a larger amount of hay to be fed into the middle
of the baler, thus creating a "barrel" shaped bale.
