The farmer where my horses are, cuts his own hay and that is what he told me. He cuts an 8 acre and a 10 acre field and expects to get around 1800 bales. Around here to get someone to cut a field, turn and bale it costs about £1/£1.50 per bale so if you have got your own field it is probably cheaper than buying hay in. Suppose it depends whereabouts in the country you are. This is in West Yorkshire.
[ QUOTE ]
I was told approx 100 small bales per acre. I.e. 10 acres would make about 1,000 bales.
[/ QUOTE ]
That would be a maximum unless you left a field empty from Feb until August and made hay before the grass got knocked right down! And it would require a very good sward to start with (which a lot of horse paddocks don't have) and everything going right.
It would be safer to budget on 60-70 - and get a nice surprise if you exceed that.
It really depends on many factors! For years we've been getting about 100+/acre off our own fields but this year without preparing the land we cut a neigbours untouched field that hasn't had anything done to it for many years not even grazed(bar the rabbits and deer) and only got 14 bales. Helps that OH has own equipment and bailer, 14 bales wouldn't be worth it otherwise!
We got around 320 off a 3 acre field that had been grazed up 'til end of April and was harvested in August (left that late because we couldn't find a good weather window). Great hay and cost us £100 to have it made.
Sorry but it depends on the weather, rain sunshine
I have 5 acres that we have down for hay. Last year we baled 435 bales the year before less and don't even talk about 2nd crop as it don't happen and yes we spray for weeds and fertilise. and the ground is clay but not as very heavy clay