Hay cutting and conditioning, also called swathing, is the first step of the haymaking chain. A custom operator runs a mower-conditioner or self-propelled windrower that cuts the crop and crimps or crushes the stems so they dry at the same rate as the leaves, which is what protects color, protein, and relative feed value.
Cutting on time and to the right stubble height sets the tonnage and quality of the cutting, and a well-formed windrow sets up clean raking and baling behind it. Custom crews bring the width, ground speed, and late-model conditioning rolls or flails to cover a lot of acres in the short window between the crop being ready and the next weather event.
Priced per acre. Book cutting on its own or as the front end of a full cut, rake, bale, and stack job.
