A few weeks ago a guy we go to church with dropped by to deliver a roll of hay. We’ve decided to supplement our square bales for the horses (which cost $1 each at minimum and as much as $4.50 at the end of winter when supply is low and demand is high) with a roll or two of round bale. Round bales are much less expensive ($20 this time) because they are easier to make when the hay is being gathered. But they’re also harder to transport and store. We can move square bales at 30 pounds each but couldn’t move 1,500 pounds of round bale by ourselves. We can stack square bales in the barn and pull off a flake at a time (a flake is a two inch or so slice of hay precut during baling). Although you could use a round bale for everyday feeding in the barn, you’d have to roll one in and pitch-fork it to the feed bins. We opted for a round bale as a test to see if the horses would eat it in the pasture and if it works out, we’ll buy another one and have it rolled into the old barn to supplement our square bales if we run low towards the end of winter.
This delivery was made into the pasture and I’ve never seen it done before so I thought I’d share some pics. Basically the baler (or is it bailer?) backed up to a tree and plopped a roll out. The tree is to protect the hay from rain and to stop it from rolling during delivery. So far the horses don’t appear to have touched it but there is still plenty of green grass so I can’t blame them. I’ll update you on the round bale hay experiment over the next several months.
Related Posts:
The round bale hay experiment – Part 1 (you are here)
The round bale hay experiment – Part 2
The round bale hay experiment – Part 3
The round bale hay experiment – Part 4
The round bale hay experiment – Part 5
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We do keep round bales out in the field in the winter as I had read that it also is how they control their body temp. For example my friend asked me at the end of winter how my horses looked and I said fine why? They had no round bales out at all over the winter and the horses lost weight. They should have some extra fat for the winter if they are outside most of the time. Just like barn kept horses do not grow the thick coat that horses that are out do. We buy only barn kept hay that has been kept dry. Even if it gets wet after we get it although we do ck for mold. You defintely have to pay for good hay.
I have started my own round bale experiment. So far, its worth the effort! I got a $35 bale (here in Oklahoma hay is much higher). I only have a horse and a mini, so its lasted longer than I’d hoped! Yay!
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