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Little River, TX | If your are into research that is one thing. If you are mixing feed that is another unique use.
If you are harvesting hay and need timely information that is another.
The Koster is the more accurate. It does require some time for a reading. I can definitely see how it would be of use in mixing feed.
If harvesting hay and your climate is such that you have most of the day to safely bale then any Koster or any of the probe style moisture testers will do just fine.
If you are baling hay in a more volatile climate or have a mix of sun baked and shaded windrows I suggest you will want an electronic tester set up for on the go testing.
Each system has advantages and disadvantages. None are super accurate AND timely.
Using an electronic probe tester if sampled immediately after baling it will read lower than if you wait an hour or more before sampling. Hay, fully cured hay will do a "sweat" and have an elevated moisture reading for a time.
HERE: I need to start baling, fully cured hay, as soon as the relative humidity down at the windrow is at 70% and/or the hay moisture is between 18% & 20% moisture using an on the go moisture tester and sampling on the side away from the knife. This tells me what the dew indused hay moisture is.
If I were baling hay that is consistently above 20% moisture I would want to sample for moisture in the cut edge of the bale as it moves through the bale chamber. This will provide an indication of the level of stem moisture. Above 20% hay moisture it is advisable to use some kind of preservative. It is possible to scab together a system for this but I advise you install a Harvest Tech system and use their experience and knowledge.
I emphasize HERE because here we have, (seldom more than,) 3 hours between too damp to bale & too dry to bale, More typical is 2 hours. This time of year we have hopefully a full hour if we insist on baling during the daytime. Night time baling this time of year we would start to bale around 1100 at too dry to bale and 0300 when it is too tough to bale.
You will have to tailor your management and equipment to the needs of your local microclimate(s).
Personally I prefere a moisture meter that is an analog needle rather than a digital read out. I like to keep on eye on how the moisture levels of the hay is varying. It can vary extensively from one charge to the next.
As bale moisture changes bale weight and length will vary also. | |
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Forage Moisture Testers
