Round hay bales are a popular way to store hay. They come in different sizes and weights and can be used for various purposes. In general, round hay bales are used to feed cattle, horses, or other livestock when winter grazing isn’t an alternative.
In addition, on average, you can find them as cheaper alternatives to square hay bales. However, there are some downsides, such as the weight, and of course transport. Most round bales typically weigh over 1,000 lbs., so you’ll need a tractor to move them. Besides this, you can easily end up with too much for your needs and it can get wet from rain if you don’t have the space to cover it.
In our guide, you can find out how to work out how many square bales are in a 4×5 round bale. By the end, you’ll be able to calculate the 4×5 round bale weight and make it a lot easier to work out how long it will last rather than having per round bale weighed. (Learn How To Power Christmas Lights Without An Outlet)
Why Are Round Hay Bales Used?
Round hay bales are used for several purposes compared to small bales, although the result is feed. One thing to note is, if you use these baled rounds, you have more work to do, and also a potential increase in transport costs.
The bale-making and storing process can become labor intensive, although they have many advantages over small squares.
Here you can find some plus points of the round hay bales:
- System clarity.
- Easily portable.
- Reduced work is required for storing.
- Best cost-benefit ratio.
- Forage has a high nutritional value.
- It is unnecessary to make significant structural investments.
Square and round bales differ solely in their machinery. Most hay has the same nutritious content and is unaffected by bale shape. Twenty square bales contain the same amount of hay as one round bale that is made to be moved by tractors compared to big squares moved by humans.
During the winter, one large bale is moved with a tractor as opposed to hauling 20 square bales from the field, into the barn, and back to the cattle. The main difference now is a task that once required, three or four people are now easily completed by one using the technology to produce large round bales. A farmer can save time and money by using or selling several hundred round bales over the winter without as much waste.
However, depending on the area, hay farmers may still make square bales, which they do for home hay buyers, who would on average have a lot of waste if they had a round bale, and weren’t able to use the rest before it was spoiled.
Small square bales are, on average, easier to use for horse hay, or for anyone who has cattle or goats.
Cost of a Round Hay Bale?
Similar to asking how much any device costs, how much does a round bale of hay cost? Every device is unique, and hay won’t be any different. Some hay varieties are more expensive than others.
A small square bale of Bermuda Grass costs around $320 per ton, while a round bale of Bermuda grass hay costs $120-160 per ton.
You should prepare to spend $300 or more per ton if you purchase an alfalfa round bale. Demand, quality, and size of the bales are some variables that affect hay prices.
How Heavy Is Round Hay Bale?
Hay round bales’ weights might differ. Considering that hay bales are frequently sold on a dollar-per-ton basis, knowing the weight of a bale might be crucial. The amount of access your intended animals should have can also be determined using the weight.
The type of hay, moisture content, brand and type of baler used, the amount of bale packing, and the baler’s output all affect the weight of the final product.
- A round hay bale typically weighs between 800 and 1,500 lbs.
- Straw-based round bales often weigh only 400 lbs., which is a significant reduction.
How Many Square Bales Does a Round Bale Make?
How many square bales are in a round bale is a complicated subject with no simple solution because it depends on both the size of the round bale and the size of the square bales.
- A standard horse-sized round bale weighs between 1,100 and 1,200 pounds.
- A standard horse-sized square bale weighs between 50 and 60 pounds.
This shows that 28 to 32 square bales are comparable to one round bale. Most people will define hay as “dry grass-fed to cows and horses in the winter.”
Everybody has seen cattle or horses being fed hay. Since 1950, hay production has transformed. Alfalfa and grass have become more nutritious. There are even changes to how it’s baled. Farmer’s chop and sun-dry hay in the field. Then they rake the dried hay into rows and bale machinery over the rows.
In the 1950s and 60s, most hay was made by a square baler; thus we had square bales. Here, human labor must put them onto a trailer, then unload and stack them in a barn, so a small bale might weigh 50-60 pounds.
Winter feeding off this crop requires proper storage. New equipment revolutionized hay baling where round balers became available compared to small squares. So much of the hay across the country would be seen as large, round bales that weighed 1000 pounds or more. (Read Lawn Mower Died While Mowing And Won’t Start)
FAQs
How many small-square hay bales are there in round bales?
The difference here is based on the weight of the large and tiny square bales. For instance, 20 small-square bales of 50 pounds each would be equivalent to 1 round bale if the round bale weighed 1,000 pounds after baling.
If the small square bales weigh 40 pounds each and the large round bale weighs 1,200 pounds, then 30 small square bales would weigh the same as one large round bale. Knowing the weight of hay bales is crucial for both economic and feeding reasons.
Also, keep in mind that round bales typically have higher storage and feeding waste than small-square bales. Especially if the round bales are fed without a hay feeder and stored outside. (Learn How Many Bales Of Hay In A Ton)
What are hexagonal hay bales used for?
Most often, bales are not made this way, as it would be a bit more complicated. You do, however, have hexagonal feeders, and there are benefits of these when in use. More animals can feed at one time rather than four from a regular-shaped hay feeder.
Why are round bales left in the field?
The grass that is dried and kept is called hay. The drying is done outdoors or in a high drier. Even if the forage is stored unpackaged, it must be at least 85% TS dry so that microbes cannot flourish.
The fact that farmers just need to remove the plastic from a bale before it is ready for the animals is a significant benefit of leaving circular hay bales in the field. (Learn How To Treat Mushrooms In Yard)
The round hay bales can be left in the field without incurring additional costs because the hassles associated with handling and moving them to and from the barn are eliminated.
