Under heavy rainfall, macerated crop tends to spoil faster than conditioned forage in a windrow. Prolonged periods of rain result in a greater degree of surface bleaching and a darkening of green colour. However, as drying times are reduced, weather can be more accurately predicted. Weather forecasts are still important, and tend to be more accurate over a shorter time period. Therefore drying time reduction becomes the critical factor.
Macerated hay is a slightly lighter green than normally conditioned crops.
The plant stems are split lengthwise, and this exposes the lighter coloured interior of the stem. The overall color is a brighter green because the plant has been exposed to less sun and rain. There is a slight change in the color of pellets. However, it is difficult to see, and is not expected to be a problem. A comparison has been done, with a macerator and a traditional mower conditioner cutting crop in the same field at the same time.