big rounds of haylage

[Jericho]

Just wondered if anyone can tell me roughly how big (wdith and length) of a big round haylage bale? And can you move them easily. I was half thinking about kind of boxing one in to the middle of our field shelter almost like a haymanger / partition thing so the horses can feed adlib and then when finished putting another one! The only thing is that I think they are going to be too heavy to roll as assuming they must 300kg at least?

 

[Barneykins]

Oh God - they are massive! Do you mean the ones that are about 4 feet high & wide? There is no way you could roll it. It would take about 5 people. Or I may be a complete wuss haha

 

[_daisy_]

they are about 4ft high and wide. me and mum manage to roll them about our field to feed our horses in hay rings.

 

[Carsmore]

Rolling is the easiest way to move them if you dont have a tractor n spike/grab. Weight completely depends on how dry or wet the haylage is. 2 people should be able to move one. You might find a bale hook handy, makes it easier to move the bale about and, obviously, makes it easier to grab. I can move one on my own with a hook. Think you can get them from Robinsons for a couple of quid or failing that, your local agricultural suppliers will have them. Sheep ring feeders are perfect for feeding round bales to horses. They are very easy to move about. The standard cow ones arent as good as the horses have to put there heads through the gaps.

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

They are about 4' wide, we can just get them in our hay barn which has stable doors on it.
They are tricky to handle but me and OH can roll one off a trailer into the barn but this is on concrete.
I am not sure how you would go on across a field?

 

[somethingorother]

No they're not easy to move. If there's two of you it's ok but otherwise it's backbreaking. I know because the other person didn't push last week when we were rolling them, i did. The bale didn't move an inch but i did, into a puddle and ended up with 2 grazed knees like a child.

Bale hooks sound good, i have somehow never heard of them!

 

[BBH]

They are huge and heavy and I have stopped having them for the winter as we can't roll them to the field when the ground is wet. When we can get them there they are great though.

About 4ft wide and high and you'd need two or three of you to roll them.

 

[Jericho]

so in theory I could if the bales were stored next to the field shelter and fenced off, just about manoevre one into the field shelter (with the help of OH)?

 

[Vicki_Krystal]

[ QUOTE ]
so in theory I could if the bales were stored next to the field shelter and fenced off, just about manoevre one into the field shelter (with the help of OH)?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what i do and when i need one rolled i just get my other half to help - although i have managed to roll a few on my own, once you get it rolling dont let it stop!

 

[_daisy_]

yeah that should be fine with that plan.
weve had plenty of rain recently and me/mum had to roll a bale out yesterday across the field and to a store area (only 1 old pony to feed and on restricted haylage) we had no problems rolling it - need to keep the momentum up - we only had a few problems rolling in onto the concrete slabs off the mud but we got it on, just have to think about what you need to do - hand hodls - or the hook thats been mentioned - think im going to invest in one of those.

 

[lily1]

The round bales of hay are heavy enough haylege is definately a 2 person effort........ just think how big our muscles are going to be after pushing all these bales about!

 

[_daisy_]

totally agree with you - and my farmer made me wetter haylage this year as well and ive certainly noticed a big difference with this years bales! 63 bales made, 5 used, oh only another 58 to move lol

 

[MrWoof]

[ QUOTE ]
Just wondered if anyone can tell me roughly how big (wdith and length) of a big round haylage bale? And can you move them easily. I was half thinking about kind of boxing one in to the middle of our field shelter almost like a haymanger / partition thing so the horses can feed adlib and then when finished putting another one! The only thing is that I think they are going to be too heavy to roll as assuming they must 300kg at least?

[/ QUOTE ]

Big Bale Haylage/Hay is fine if you are using it up quickly. However, if you only have a couple to feed, be very careful. Some-one I know had horses go down with colic after feeding Big Bales. If it is not used up quickly enough, the middle goes manky after opening.