Cutting Alfalfa
Crop that is leaning or lodged in one direction may leave a long stubble when traveling in the direction of the grain. The following will improve the cut:
1.
Cut close to the ground.
2.
Slow down when cutting with the grain.
3.
Cut early (before 10% blossom if possible).
4.
Adjust guard angle as steep as required to obtain desired stubble height.
Newly seeded alfalfa can be a problem due to the underdeveloped thin, limp stem. To get a clean cut, knives must be sharp and have a maximum gap of 0.05 mm (0.020 in.) when using regular guards.
Always cut crop at the same height. If new stubble is lower than the old stubble, the machine will be cutting twice as many stems as normal. Dead stems in the old stubble are harder to cut, especially when wet.
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