HAY STORAGE

[rooster628]

I have a place in south Texas where its roughly 98 -100 degrees right now. Its been very dry and had another load of 30 round bales of coastal hay delivered. Is it better to store them end to end in rows on the ground like I usually do or stack them on top of each other. I can probably stack them two high with my front end loader. I thought I had heard once you want air to flow between the bales? But that means more rain gets to them too (if it ever rains again).

 

[Mike120]

I have a place in south Texas where its roughly 98 -100 degrees right now.

You must have your thermometer in front of the AC. My place in Frio county has been way higher than that.

What I've found is that the issue is ground contact. The ants build nests in them and carry a lot of dirt up into the bales. I try to stick mine on boards and then stack them two high.

 

[chh]

Stacking round bales causes rot where the bales contact by holding moisture when/if it rains according to all the studies I have seen. Usually in rows is ok, in rows on top of pallets or old tires is better, and inside a barn is usually considered best.

 

[tanglefoot]

Northeast Texas is enjoying the same hot spell as ya'll are. I'm between Dallas and Paris and it's be 100 to 103 for a high for several days.
I set each round bale on a wooden pallet, they're easy to come by around here. I don't stack them outside, just line them up in rows. I do stack the ones I put in the barn, though. Last winter I fed some that were 2 years old. The cows loved them, and they looked fresh.
Butch

 

[rooster628]

Thanks for the comments. Always good advice here.

 

[EastTexFrank]

We've always stacked ours on the ground, no boards or pallets. We do stack them end to end, running down the slope so any rain water (I know, what rain) drains off quickly. Last year my S-I-L hired a guy to put up the hay and he stacked it across the slope, end to end and each row acted like a dam. Had to go in and move every one of them.