Difference in hay weight now vs when baled

Graveyard1984 · Dec 31, 2020

I know hay gets lighter after it's baled and it continues to get lighter as it gets dryer. All this is considering it is kept in the dry. I always store my rolls of hay in the dry and its 4x5 rolls.
How much weight difference is there in spring hay vs fall hay vs spring and fall hay stored in the dry setting on pallets.

Hope this helps thanks for the help

SVcummins · Dec 31, 2020

Just scaled bales that have been stacked for two years weighed 1800 going and 1800 going out . This years bales weighed 1580 round in June and weighed 1580 in December

Graveyard1984 · Dec 31, 2020

Ok thats neat

mikewood869 · Jan 1, 2021

We were baling heavy bricks this year and they seemed to loose 10 pounds and they loosen up (unless I got a lot stronger). The hay from late 2019 summer seems to be a little lighter but same size.

SVcummins · Jan 1, 2021

If anything they get heavier as they absorb rain and snow . If you are lucky enough to have a hay shed then I can them maybe getting lighter

bc · Jan 1, 2021

All I know is that I can't throw as many square bales now as I did 50 years ago. So they must be getting heavier.

MJMJ · Jan 1, 2021

There is no way to answer that, depends on the moisture, size, density, etc....

137 farm · Jan 1, 2021

You shouldn't bale wet hay, it can self ignite, even round bales.
My square bales never change wt from baling time thru the winter, they stay consistent, both grassy hay and alfalfa. Now pure clover tends to always dry out more in the barn and get lighter after 2-3 months.

sotxbill · Jan 1, 2021

New 5'x6' round bales I can barely pickup with a squeal from my hydraulics. Old round bales pick up fine no squeal. Same bales several month later. The newer balers have been making em heavier and heavier. I am guessing 300 lbs or more. And if the hay is two years old, they become loose and fluffy. So yes, they are lighter. The net wrap bales seem to stay tighter over time though. Down in far south. Early round balers were very picky about hay being too green and wrapping around the rollers and super plugging. Or hay being too dry and throwing it everywhere and between the belts and getting fuzzy bales. New balers bale pretty much any kind of hay.

showcrop · Jan 1, 2021

This is another one of those subjects where the correct answer can vary a whole lot with your geography. Many parts of the country can be very humid in the summer and very dry in the winter. So even though you may get it very dry before baling and there is no where near enough moisture for it to self ignite as none of us ever knew before enlightened by 137 farm, as the humidity drops during the winter, more moisture will be drawn out so the weight will drop.

RayP(MI) · Jan 1, 2021

I square bale my hay quite dry. My storage is very dry. I got into some several years old hay recently off the bottom of the stack. If anything it seems to have gained weight. Many bales seem heavier than when I put them in the barn. Go figure.

bc · Jan 1, 2021

Yep. Couple years ago we had some catch fire and we weren't there. Neighbor saw them, called the fire department, then he came over with his loader and moved them around so the whole row didn't catch fire. Then rolled out the burning ones so they could be put out.

Difference in hay weight now vs when baled

Graveyard1984

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Graveyard1984

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mikewood869

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SVcummins

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bc

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137 farm

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