Hay Bale sizing

[EarPlug]

I am trying to figure out how many "standard" size hay bales would equal the large 4x4x8 bales. Also, how much do the large bales weigh?

Is $65 per large bale a good price for grass hay?

Jack

 

[EdKing]

I am thinking my neighbor said about 16 square bales per round bale, round bales weighing about 1000 lbs. This of course is with his equiptment.

 

[looch]

Here's a very rough estimate as size can vary from machine to machine and even from bale to bale...

small square bale = 1.5'x1.5'x3' = 6.75 cu ft
large square bale (your dims) = 4x4x8 = 128 cu ft

So about 19 small bales in one of your large bales. Prices vary by region and by type of hay. Here they can be anywhere from 2.50 - 4.00$ each. At 4$, your large bale would be worth 76$.

Sorry for the fluffy info.

Paul

 

[gws]

Re: Hay Bale sizing

What "STANDARD" are you using? The 25, 30 or 50lb bale sizes

 

[RichZ]

$65 per large bale is WAY too high!!

 

[gerard]

I don't think you can do a volume comparision in this case. small square bales are not nearly as compressed as large square bales so you realy need to use weight. Most small square bales we buy are in the 45-50lb range and go for 2 -2.50 in the upstate NY area. (Horse hay)

 

[cowboydoc]

I agree the only way to do this to figure out how good of a deal you are getting is by weight. Figure out the prices per ton. So many people get screwed buying hay by the bale. At any rate $65 for grass hay in this area would be robbery. You can buy excellent quality alfalfa for $45 for a 1600 lb. bale. I sell my 1600 lb. grass hay round bales for $35 a bale.

Round bales are not going to be as efficient as square bales either. Even if you have a round bale feeder they are going to waste alot of the hay. That's why round bales are USUALLY so much cheaper if you figure in the waste and the fact that it takes half the time to do round bales compared to square bales.

 

[EarPlug]

The small bales we are currently getting here in drought stricken Colorado are 50lb @ $7 per bale. A friend has imported some of the large bales from Missouri and has some extra at $65 each and I'm trying to figure out is it worth it. Also, I need to figure out if I can move them with my TC29D.

Jack

 

[cowboydoc]

At that price you only need 10 square bales to equal that. I'd say if they are a thousand pounds you're getting a good deal then. If you could arrange shipping or come get them I can sell you all the square bales you want for $2.25 a piece and all the round bales you want for $35 and $40 a piece. I'm about 750 miles from Denver.

On feeding the round bales at that price I would just fork it off and feed them. You can cut the bales and just roll them out and feed off of it what you need. If you put it all out horses will make a mess of it and waste a fourth or better of it.

 

[stmiller2]

The USDA reports average prices received by farmers for all hay, alfalfa hay, and other hay. The URL is

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/price/pap-bb/

As you might expect, there is considerable variation in hay prices across states. For example, the US average price in July for alfalfa hay was $102/ton, with a range from $65/ton (in WI & MI) to $153/ton (in TX).

 

[utahmule]

Richard,

How big are the square bales you're talking about? How many could you fit on a typical semi trailer for shipment? What type of hay, grass mix, w/ alf; barley mix etc?

Thanks,

 

[buck1]

Man, that sounds expensive for this area (North, AL). People here sell round bales that size for $25-$30 a roll. We get about $2-$3 per square bale depending on quality and supply/demand.

 

[DarrenP]

I doubt you could pick them up with a compact tractor......

 

[cowboydoc]

Eric,
I've got everything. Grass, alfalfa, grass/alfalfa mix. I can make the square bales any size. Most people don't like them bigger than 40 or 50 lbs. so that's the size I do them mostly. I'm not sure how many you could fit on a semi. Hay isn't that much more expensive in Utah is it?

 

[patrickg]

Richard (AKA Coyboydoc), Do you know if anybody ever put a pipe grid or something across the bottom of a round bale feeder to keep the bale up off the ground? If yes, to what effect? I know from personal observation that just throwing the bale on the ground is not efficient unless you are working to fix errosion and not just feeding stock. Similarly, by observation I note that even with a round bale feeder (the ones I have used) you still get a big dead circle on the ground. Hmmm, maybe the circle is some sort of alien SIGN.

P.S. I havent been to see Mel Gibson in THAT movie yet but in general the idea that any sufficiently adanced race that could come here from wherever and would need some kind of "semaphore" signal on the ground seems highly contradictory.

Patrick

 

[art]

There are many different styles or I should say designs used in the big square baler. Depending on several things you should be in the 1900 to 2000lb range per bale. There is a lot as far as type of hay and the protein levels that change the value of a bale of hay.

 

[utahmule]

It's a long story that I'll go into later. Would you happen to know the moisture content of the grass bales? Is the $2.25 for a ~50 lb grass bale? What type of grass?

Thanks,

 

[cowboydoc]

Patrick,
There have been a number of designs to keep the hay off the ground. Most of them suspend the hay a few feet above the ground. You still get the feed on the ground as the hay will fall as you feed it. Also unless you move the bale ring everytime you feed it the ground underneath will die out too. Actually unless you are not feeding alot of stock and the bale stays out a long time they will clean it up pretty good in the regular round bale feeders.

 

[cowboydoc]

Eric,
I don't know what the moisture content is. Never had it tested. I do put up my bales pretty dry though. The grass is mostly brohm.

 

[patrickg]

RICHARD, Right on with the dying out part. I have these strange "crop circles" in various places. The ground around a feeder gets trampled pretty good and fertilized and that directly under dies out. The next year it looks like some alien's signs. I was thinking maybe a floor that was a matrix of tubing or rod with a layer of roll fencing laying on top to prevent any clumps from falling through while allowing water to drain.

I prefer to move the feeder every time to distribute the damage.

Patrick