Looks like a lot of hay is left on the ground between wind rows. I grew up with the old rolling bar style rakes and both the wheel and rotary seem to beat up the hay more dropping more leaves.
For the last 5 years we have used a 10 wheel Sitrex/NewHolland rake on Hybrid Bermuda on normal grow-Harvest cycles and low bale count J.D. Net Wrap balers......WE operate a re-baling operation supplying small squares to TSC, The Simpson round bale tables feed better with a constant unbroken layer of hay unrolling.... We have added hydraulic controls to slow down or speed up the mat of hay into the In-line small square baler...... Our last cut of 2023 we used a New Vari -Core Krone Baler with the Cam less pick up.... the area beneath where the pickup passed over was noticeably cleaner than the Wheel raked area on each side,,,, That observation led my Son to think even though it looks clean...... even that infantismal amount adds up! but then again this cut was thin and short, More observation is required, this coming season...... But should we buy a rotary... it will be a Krone
I farm in Western Australia and agree with you but the v-rake is half the price as the rotary rake . Just got to let your hay dry for a bit longer.
Looks like a lot of hay is left on the ground between wind rows. I grew up with the old rolling bar style rakes and both the wheel and rotary seem to beat up the hay more dropping more leaves.
I understand. Conditions and crops can vary so much.
The pick up work beter with the wheel rake feeding it into the baler
For the last 5 years we have used a 10 wheel Sitrex/NewHolland rake on Hybrid Bermuda on normal grow-Harvest cycles and low bale count J.D. Net Wrap balers......WE operate a re-baling operation supplying small squares to TSC, The Simpson round bale tables feed better with a constant unbroken layer of hay unrolling.... We have added hydraulic controls to slow down or speed up the mat of hay into the In-line small square baler...... Our last cut of 2023 we used a New Vari -Core Krone Baler with the Cam less pick up.... the area beneath where the pickup passed over was noticeably cleaner than the Wheel raked area on each side,,,, That observation led my Son to think even though it looks clean...... even that infantismal amount adds up! but then again this cut was thin and short, More observation is required, this coming season...... But should we buy a rotary... it will be a Krone
Steve Carver, CarverEquipment.Com, Dunn NC 919 902 0522 email stvcarv@aol.com