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Hay, Forage & Livestock Equipment
Mowers, rakes, balers, wrappers, feeders, trailers and handling equipment turn grass into feed and keep livestock work safer. Learn how the pieces fit together and how to keep them running.
50 guides in this section.
- Mower Conditioner Buying Guide
A mower conditioner is the first machine in the hay chain, and a poor match for your tractor or your fields will slow every step that follows. Here... - Disc Mower Maintenance
Disc mowers spin fast and hit rocks, fence wire and dirt, so a few minutes of attention before each day of cutting saves expensive repairs. This... - Sickle Bar Mower Basics
The sickle bar mower is old technology that still earns its place on small farms, hobby acreage and rough ground. Learn how it cuts, what keeps it... - Rotary Mower vs. Disc Mower
People use the words rotary mower and disc mower loosely, and the machines are not the same. Here is how drum, disc and rotary styles differ, and... - Tedder Use and Setup
A tedder fluffs and spreads cut hay so it dries faster and more evenly. Used at the right time and set correctly, it can shave a day off your drying... - Raking Hay: Wheel Rake vs. Rotary Rake
Raking turns spread-out cured hay into a windrow your baler can pick up. The rake you choose changes leaf loss, bale shape and how many hours you... - Baler Buying Guide
A baler is often the largest hay-making purchase, and it ties up your tractor for weeks every summer. Work through these questions before you sign... - Round Baler vs. Square Baler
Round bales and square bales solve different problems. The right choice depends on who eats the hay, what equipment you own and how much labor you... - Round Baler Maintenance
A round baler has many moving parts under heavy load, and most breakdowns trace back to missed grease, worn belts or a plugged pickup. A steady... - Square Baler Knotter Troubleshooting
A knotter that misses is one of the most frustrating problems in hay season. Most misses come from a short list of causes you can check in order. - Baler Belt Maintenance
Belts do the hard work inside a round baler, rolling every bale. A belt that fails in the middle of a field costs more than the belt, so inspect them... - Hay Wrap and Net Wrap Choices
The material you wrap around a round bale affects shape, weather protection and handling. Learn what differs between twine, net wrap and plastic film... - Bale Wrapper Basics
A bale wrapper seals round bales in plastic so you can bale forage at higher moisture or store hay outdoors with less loss. Here is how the machines... - Silage Bale Wrapping
Silage bales, often called baleage, depend on good fermentation, and good fermentation depends on doing several small things right. Here is the... - Hay Moisture Testing
Baling hay that is too damp can cause mold, heat and in the worst case fire. Moisture testing takes a few minutes and protects both your feed and... - Making Quality Hay
Good hay is made in the field long before it reaches the barn. Cutting time, drying speed and baling moisture decide how much feed value your animals... - Hay Storage and Loss Reduction
Hay that sits outside loses feed value from rain, snow and ground moisture. A few decisions about where and how you store it can save a surprising... - Hay Feeding Equipment
How you put hay in front of animals matters as much as how you made it. The right feeding equipment cuts waste, saves labor and keeps animals safer. - Bale Feeders for Cattle
A bale feeder keeps hay off the mud and gives cows a place to eat without trampling the feed. The design you choose affects waste, injuries and how... - Bale Spear Safety
A bale spear is a long steel spike on the front or back of a tractor, and it is a serious hazard. Careful use and good habits are what keep it from... - Loading and Stacking Bales
Hauling and stacking bales is where many hay-season injuries happen, from strained backs to collapsed stacks. A plan for each load makes the work... - Moving Round Bales Safely
A round bale is heavy, round and rolls the moment it gets the chance. Moving one safely takes the right equipment, low carry height and respect for... - Forage Harvester Basics
A forage harvester cuts standing or wilted crop into small pieces and blows it into a wagon for silage. It is a large investment and a hazardous... - Silage Chopper Maintenance
A silage chopper works hard in a short window, so a breakdown costs a lot. Good knife care, regular greasing and a safe lockout habit keep it running... - Wagon and Forage Boxes
Forage wagons and boxes carry chopped crop from field to storage. The right size, unloading style and running gear keep the harvest crew moving and... - Tub Grinders and Hay Grinders
A grinder turns coarse hay, straw and stalks into something stock can eat or you can bed with. It is also one of the most dangerous machines on a... - Feed Mixer Wagons
A mixer wagon blends hay, grain, silage and supplements into a consistent ration and delivers it to the bunk. Whether one makes sense depends on herd... - TMR Mixer Maintenance
A total mixed ration mixer works hard every day, so small neglected items turn into poor mixing, feed waste and breakdowns at the worst moment. A... - Livestock Trailer Buying Guide
A livestock trailer carries animals, your safety and your legal responsibility on the road. Choosing one well means matching it to your animals, your... - Trailer Maintenance for Livestock
Livestock trailers get hard use: wet floors, manure, rough lots and long gaps between trips. A regular inspection routine catches the problems that... - Loading Livestock Safely
Loading day is when most livestock injuries to people happen. A calm plan, a sound facility and a little patience prevent the kicks, crushes and... - Corral Equipment and Gates
A corral is only as good as its weakest gate. Choosing sound panels, hardware and layout makes handling cattle, sheep or horses safer, faster and... - Squeeze Chute Buying Guide
A squeeze chute holds an animal still for vaccinations, tagging, hoof work and vet care. Picking the right one comes down to your herd, your handling... - Cattle Handling Equipment
Good cattle handling equipment works as a system. Pens, alleys, gates, a chute and a few simple tools make routine work calmer, quicker and safer for... - Fencing Equipment for Ranches
The right fencing equipment turns a long, hard job into a manageable one. What you need depends on the fence type, your soil and how many miles you... - Post Drivers and Fence Builders
A post driver pushes fence posts into the ground faster and straighter than hand tools. Knowing the types and their limits helps you pick one that... - Augers and Grain Handling
Grain augers move feed and crops quickly, and they injure farmers every year. Understanding the types, the setup and the hazards helps you handle... - Grain Cart Basics
A grain cart lets a combine keep cutting while the grain is hauled to a truck or bin. It saves time at harvest, and it brings its own weight, tipping... - Elevators and Conveyors for Feed
Lifting feed or hay by hand wears people out. Elevators and conveyors move the weight for you, but they have moving parts that demand respect. - Bale Bed Truck Attachments
A bale bed turns a pickup or flatbed into a hay handler that loads, hauls and feeds bales without a tractor. Fit to your truck, your bale type and... - Skid Steer vs. Tractor for Livestock Work
Both machines can scrape a pen, lift a bale and move feed. Which one earns its keep depends on the size of your barn, the ground you cover and the... - Feeding in Winter with Equipment
Winter feeding is daily work in the worst conditions. The right equipment and a few cold-weather habits keep animals fed and keep you out of trouble... - Manure Handling for Livestock Operations
Manure is a daily product on any livestock farm. Handling it well takes the right equipment, a plan for storage and spreading, and respect for the... - Bedding Spreaders
A bedding spreader throws straw, shavings or other dry bedding evenly across a pen. It saves hours of fork work and, used properly, keeps stalls... - Pasture Renovation Equipment
Renovating pasture is a mix of mowing, soil work, seeding and grazing management. The equipment you need depends on how bad the stand is and what you... - Forage Seeding Equipment
Good forage stands start with good seed placement. The tool you use, and how carefully you set it up, often matters as much as the seed you buy. - Hay Equipment Maintenance Calendar
Hay does not wait for a broken machine. A simple calendar of checks through the year keeps mowers, rakes and balers ready when the weather window... - Used Hay Equipment Buying Checklist
Used hay equipment can save a lot of money, and it can also hide expensive problems. A careful inspection and the right questions separate a good buy... - Hay and Forage Safety
Hay season brings long days, tired people and heavy machines. Most injuries come from a short list of causes, and most are preventable with habits... - Small-Scale Hay Equipment Setup
You do not need a full line of big machines to make hay on a few acres. A thoughtful setup, with some work shared or hired out, can feed a small herd...