Stacking Hay

[HannahB]

Basically, I was stacking the winter's hay in the barn yesterday, and its always seemed natural but does anyone know why the first layer of square bales are placed on end then all others the other way?

 

[paddy555]

I don't know because that is how I have always stacked them and never thought about it. However if a bale is damaged by mould/damp etc it is easier to pull and discard bad hay from a bale on it's end rather than one on it's flat. ie less wastage.

 

[rabatsa]

Because the cut ends of the grass is always on the side of the bale. These are put upwards to prevent moisture wicking up into the bale.

Mr R says going back to sisal bands they did not rot when not in contact with the ground.

 

[Polos Mum]

Moisture will come up from the ground - even concrete (leave a plastic sack on the ground for a few days and you'll see the water underneath). The end stops it moving up the bale into all the other bales above. We stack on pallets to save the bottom layer from being ruined

 

[paddy555]

Because the cut ends of the grass is always on the side of the bale. These are put upwards to prevent moisture wicking up into the bale.

.

I didn't know that!! learn something every day. Thanks.

ETA I always put mine on pallets as well with straw underneath the hay.

 

[HannahB]

We use pallets also. Thanks all, makes sense definitely learnt something new

 

[pec]

If you get mice under the bales especially if stacked on bales the mice can’t eat the string and the bales stay intact