Hay moisture meters

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Radio interview source: Paul Laurenzi, vice president of sales and marketing, Delmhorst

It's true what they say: "Make hay while the sun shines, because it might be raining tomorrow." When you have a hay crop to bring in, everything else stops. We're out in the pasture on a moment's notice when the hay is at that perfect stage -- not too wet and not overly dry.

A hay moisture meter is an essential tool, because it's hard to accurately judge how damp it is by sight and touch. The meter is an electronic device with two long probes. You jab the probes into the hay to check moisture content before, during, and after baling.

Paul Laurenzi is vice president of sales for a company that sells moisture meters. He says compaction of the bale is going to affect the readings. A bale that's densely packed will give you a higher reading, and a loose bundle will be lower.

"These are guidelines," Laurenzi says. "There is a little bit of wiggle room. It's not such a precise process that if it's 17.2% instead of 17%, you're going to have a problem."

What you're looking for is consistency throughout the process. This is just as important as what the number says. Check the moisture levels in the windrow, while you're baling, and before you stack the bales in the barn. These three readings should be very close to each other.