The Rural Voice, 1989-06, Page 56ADVICE
PLANNING A HAY
DRYING SYSTEM
Each year more farmers install barn
hay -drying systems. Their aim is to
reduce the weather risk of field curing,
improve the quality of the stored hay,
and reduce the chance of spontaneous
combustion.
The first step is to make sure that the
mow floor will be strong enough to
handle the added weight of damp hay
bales. You can expect 25 to 30 per cent
more weight in the hay being placed in
the mow. Any weak floor supports
should be strengthened or replaced.
Most systems are designed for a
mow size of 60 to 100 tonnes. The
commonly used hay -drying fans are 5 to
7 1/2 horsepower. This size of fan will
dry up to 100 tonnes of damp hay that is
25 per cent moisture or less.
To help you picture a system for a
mow of this size, typical mow dimen-
sions might be 30 feet wide, 70 feet long,
and 12 feet high. There would be a main
duct or tunnel lengthwise down the
centre. This duct would be at least 4 feet
by 4 feet in cross-section, and be lined
with plywood.
Air would flow from the duct
through an opening along each side at
the floor.
Because air must flow equally to all
parts of the mow, slatted floor exten-
sions on each side of the duct are often
used. As an alternative to slats, the
bottom layer of bales could be placed on
edge with spaces leading out from the
duct. In either case, it is important to
place the bales tightly together for the
outer 8 feet of the bottom layer and for
all of the bales in the upper layers.
The mow floor must be sealed with a
layer of 1/4 -inch plywood or 6 -mil plas-
tic to prevent air from blowing down
into the stable.
For more information on planning
hay -drying systems and a copy of a
factsheet on barn hay -drying, contact
your local OMAF office.
Norm Bird
Agricultural Engineer
Apples are Ontario's largest fruit
crop, contributing about $50 million
to the province's economy each year.
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JUNE 1989 55