How do I check the condition of a ranch’s hay equipment and haying schedule?

Hay is the winter feed supply, so the equipment that makes it matters. Ask for a list of every machine involved: mowers, rakes, balers, tractors, wagons and any bale handling gear. For each, ask its age, hours, repairs and who operates it. Start the machines and look at wear on belts, tires, knives and hydraulics. Ask a mechanic you trust to look at the larger items.

Then look at the schedule. When does cutting normally start, and how many days does it take? Who does the work, and what happens if that person is unavailable or the weather turns? Ask whether the ranch hires custom help and what that costs. Look at past years’ records for feed produced and fed, and ask whether the ranch ever bought hay.

Finally, consider how the equipment fits the acreage. A machine that is too small causes long delays; one that is old may fail in the middle of the season. A short guide on equipment valuation can help you think about condition and replacement, and an equipment lender can say what it would finance. Ask also where equipment is stored over the winter, because shelter often explains why one machine looks younger than another of the same age.

Key takeaways

• List every machine with its age, hours, repairs and operator.
• Have a trusted mechanic inspect the larger equipment.
• Ask what happens to the schedule when weather or an operator fails.