Bale Sizes

[welshiecob]

Hi,

I hope that someone will be able to help with the answer to this.

How many conventional size bales of hay is equivalent to a large round bale of hay/haylage?

I'm currently using small bales and paying £3.50 each. The yard has now started selling large round bales for £30.00.

At the moment I'm using 6-7 small bales weekly. But I would like to get an idea of how long a bigger bale would last me. Yard manager doesn't seem to know

Thanks Guys

 

[sywell]

The packing or density of round bales varies considerable but on the whole small bales are fairly consistant. The large oblong or small Heston bales are also difficult to evaluate and it really is best to work by weight but how do you weigh a round bale unless you use a weigh bridge.

 

[Chico Mio]

Round bales come in two sizes I think - 4ft and 5ft. I have a 4ft ones and they last my two horses about a ten days to a fortnight. My bales weigh around 250kg each.

Say you used 7 bales a week that would cost you £24.50 or nearly £50 every two weeks. If your round bale lasts as long as mine you would be saving up to £10 a week - not to be sneezed at

 

[eoe]

I was always told that there are are around 14 bales in a large round bale, now I have 3 big horses who used to have 3/4 bale of hay every night in a haynet, they still have a haynet at night, stuffed full which weighs around 20kg. One of these bales lasts me about 16 days for 3 horses, I pay 25 for mine and they are haylage bales that the local farmer makes and wraps, I normally get between 45 and 52 haynets out of each bale, so it works out at about 52p per horse per day. Hope that helps.

 

[Maizy]

Useful info....OP may I ask where do you get your £3.50 small bales from, the cheapest I've found is £6. thanks.