Large square bales: how well do they store left outside for months

[Hay Dude]

I'd hate to see lightning hit that pile of hay. I divide my round bales into several separated sections in case of fire or lightning strike. Hopefully keeps all of it from being destroyed.

I worry more about kids and vandalism, but yeah i usually keep my bales limited to about 20-30 in a stack.
My insurance limits me to $10K per loss, so he also reminds me not to make the stacks to big.

 

[sd455dan]

They sell everything and mainly transport by semi loads except what they store to feed their beef cows and some horses. In another couple weeks it will all be in barns. They bring the big loader tractors over and round robin the big trucks.

 

[Hay Dude]

Here’s some more delivered last week. Sat outside for 8 weeks. Look fine.

 

[japody]

How much do those big square bales weigh?

 

[redman135]

Slightly off topic, what is the approximate ratio of hay to silage made?
What is the ratio of round bales to large squares?
Observation, sometimes you see round hay left out, but I have NEVER seen square hay left out.
In Waikato New Zealand the weather does not allow large scale hay making when the grass is in excess,(spring) as it is to wet. So we mostly make silage and mostly (95%)round bales, many farms don't have any hay.
Spring here starts about early august, silage starts mid/late september and goes to early december. Hay runs mid december to early february, although the hay season is getting later as the Reliable, stable ,dry weather pattern is getting later and later.
Spring gets later as you go south.

 

[Hay Dude]

How much do those big square bales weigh?

1,600-2,000 lbs

 

[Hay Dude]

Slightly off topic, what is the approximate ratio of hay to silage made?
What is the ratio of round bales to large squares?
Observation, sometimes you see round hay left out, but I have NEVER seen square hay left out.
In Waikato New Zealand the weather does not allow large scale hay making when the grass is in excess,(spring) as it is to wet. So we mostly make silage and mostly (95%)round bales, many farms don't have any hay.
Spring here starts about early august, silage starts mid/late september and goes to early december. Hay runs mid december to early february, although the hay season is getting later as the Reliable, stable ,dry weather pattern is getting later and later.
Spring gets later as you go south.

Here in my area silage might be 5% of the total.
It gets greater as you go north because they have more damp & cold weather