I found this to be intriguing... It's a good read

John_PA · Mar 22, 2013

Feast your eyes upon this conversation-

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-nutrition/how-many-sm-square-bales-equal-92883/

I found it on a random google search, because I guy told me I was crazy because I told him my 4x4round bales weighed about 700 lbs. He told me, in so many words that I was an idiot, didn't know anything about hay, and a 4x4 round bale is between 300-400 lbs. So, I just googled it to see if maybe I am a complete moron.

Then I saw that web page... I feel better about myself...

rrlund · Mar 22, 2013

A 4x4? I'd be inclined to disagree with you. I've got a Gehl High Density 4x5. The manual says 1200 pounds,but I can tell you from putting them on the scale at the elevator that a good tight bale of alfalfa/grass mix weighs about 900. The neighbor bought one of Gehl's first 4x5s,the model 1400. Those balers used springs instead of the air over hydraulic bale tensioning system,at best those bales weighed 600.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 22, 2013

Save your breath, the only wat to tell is to weigh them. There are as many lies told about the weight of a bale of hay as there is about how big the fish that got away is.

Royse · Mar 22, 2013

A 4X4 @ 1700lbs?
I'd say call the fire department, but its probably too wet to burn.
I can't tell you what the ones I get weigh, but they're packed so tight the
guy loads them with forklift forks instead of a spear. Spear won't go in.
Sure makes his bobcat do a front wheel dance if he doesn't take it slow.

showcrop · Mar 22, 2013

Don't go making a judgement about what round bales weigh without getting input from Old. He has a scale built into the seat of his Ford 801.

John_PA · Mar 22, 2013

That's the point!!!!!!!!!

But to go off point- How can anyone argue over what my hay weighs and tell me my bales couldn't possibly weigh that much?

I said my hay weighs about 700 lbs per bale. I say this because I had 12 on the trailer and it made me 8320 lbs heavier. I'd say that's about 700 lbs per bale.

Regardless, the point was, you had to read that thread. I'm not knocking on horse people. I just thought it was funny that there was a discussion about whether the bales were 3x4 or 4x4. There was one who said that a 4x4 weighs 1700 lbs(and I guess if you pull the baler right behind the mower in a rain storm, that might be true...) and there was someone who called them out and said 300 lbs. There were a few voices of reason, but for the most part it was amusing, and no one ever said anything about weighing the bales.

VicS · Mar 22, 2013

We have a 4X5 Gehl also. weighed a couple loads of 16 they weighed 795. Oh was just grass hay.

VicS · Mar 22, 2013

I'm sorry our trailer will just haul 14. Maybe I don't know how much they weigh

Vic

IrvIA · Mar 22, 2013

That feller must have rolled up a big rock in that 1700# one. :^)

ohiojeff · Mar 22, 2013

I think there is alot of difference in round
balers,our New idea 4644 baler makes a 4x4 bale that
has a very solid core,when spearing I have to push
the bales against each other to get the spear to
penetrate.Last year my baler was down with a broken
chain so I hired a neighbor to finish my field for
me,he used a large New holland baler with net wrap
that made 4x5 bales that were so soft i could spear
them easily and they felt much lighter on my Ford
4630

Anonymous-0 · Mar 22, 2013

Generaly the tighter the bale the easier it is to spear. Just look at the difference when trying to spear a variable chamber bale and a fixed chamber bale.

ohiojeff · Mar 22, 2013

My New Idea is a variable chamber baler and makes a very dense bale that is hard to spear,however i do not recall the model of New Holland baler of my neighbors so i don't know what type of chamber he has,but it is soft and easy to spear.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 23, 2013

Did you pay him per bale by any chance because some custom guys will use a faster ground speed and lower pto rpm to make less hay per bale if that's how they are getting paid. It makes more bales at the end of the day for them. Maybe that's why the bale was softer and lighter. There really isn't anyother reason a 4x4 bale should weigh more than a 4x5 bale because there is such a higher percentage of hay in the larger outside foot. You also should not need to push three bales against each oher to spear a bale no matter what baler your using. My neighbors john deere puts up the tightest bale in the neighborhood and his spear better than mine.

Robert Major · Mar 23, 2013

Hi
Sounds like it was in his favour to convince you they are light if he was buying l.o.l.
I used to work the yard at a seed plant, all the guys that sold hay round us or fed by weight, would come in and I would weigh bales or loads buy weighing empty trailer and then full and divide for average.
It was amazing what guys thought at a guess and the actual bale weight on the scale. Some would of lost good money on how far out they where selling. But some buyers would of done good the other way
I can't remember what the heaviest ever was though.
Regards Robert

John_PA · Mar 23, 2013

We are about a month away from putting 300 lb to the acre of 10-20-10 on our hay before first cutting. I generally follow up with 100 lb of 40-0-0 per cutting, treated with agrotain.

Last year, I got 50 4x4 bales from our bottom land 5 acre piece at 26% moisture.

I might be one of the only ones who takes pride in good hay. This year I have 110 acres of hay to cut. Close to $7000 in fertilizer costs split between good bottom and some of the upper land that won't produce no matter what. When you get a good 3rd cutting at $7 per square, that fertilizer money pays back quick.

Does anyone else on here take pride in their hay? It's a good lifestyle to stay fit. I don't mind the work when it pays. I know a lot of people who pay to go to a gym. My "gym" pays me to go! LOL

Tx Jim · Mar 23, 2013

(quoted from post at 17:37:45 03/22/13)
Don't go making a judgement about what round bales weigh without getting input from Old. He has a scale built into the seat of his Ford 801.

Showcrop you're in trouble now. :wink:

There are too many variables to guess the weight of a rd bale of hay. Weighing on a scale is the only "weigh" to know !!!!!!

Type of baler and which kind of tension it has.(spring,air or hydraulic

Moisture content of hay and type of hay being baled.

Windrow size and ground speed.

Then throw in the unknowns such as equipment problems such as weak/broken tension springs,internal leaking cylinders letting oil by-pass or leaking control valve letting oil by-pass.

Tx Jim · Mar 23, 2013

(quoted from post at 15:57:03 03/22/13) Save your breath, the only wat to tell is to weigh them. There are as many lies told about the weight of a bale of hay as there is about how big the fish that got away is.

AMEN buddy. Because of the drought the last few years I've been buying hay to resale to my hay customers. If you want to get some real stutters and a load NO when the-hay sellers quotes $50 per bale for 1000# bales just ask the seller if he would take a $100 per ton for the load. I haven't had one seller accept my the "by the ton price"

I found this to be intriguing... It's a good read

John_PA

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rrlund

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Anonymous-0

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Royse

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showcrop

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John_PA

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VicS

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IrvIA

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ohiojeff

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Anonymous-0

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ohiojeff

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Robert Major

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