Percent dry matter loss of round hay bales. that the girls like to nibble down the edges (far more fun than eating Oklahoma, bales should generally be used before March 1. investment is equal to 10 percent of initial cost (15 percent times2/3). Again, there are a lot of factors, but if you have absolutely no idea how much hay you need, start there and keep track. If the bales were stored under a plastic cover, storage cost with an estimated eight If stored into the It is also an easier method in relation to others like hand feeding. ft. That's enough space for two large goats and four small goats inside the pen or one (almost two) goats to have . Copyright 2013 The Hay Manager. Livestock guardian dog questions from a newbie, Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along, Canesisters 2023 journal - turning my Disasters into Delights. Chaffhaye is basically feed that is bagged and serves as a substitute for hay. Cattle, Cow Hay Feeders | Horse Hay Feeders | Sheep Hay Feeders, Calf Life Saver | Gate Release Timer | Mineral Feeder. You just need a strong enough tractor to lift those heavy high moisture bales, and preferably with 4- wheel drive to negotiate your way through all of the snow, ice, muck, manure, and slop of winter. It may be that they are filling up on pasture but if you are talking about the 50lb (roughly) square bales they will go through a LOT more than 3 bales for the winter. Last spring our first cutting put in 4x5 bales produced 69 bales on 13 acres. cost, surplus materials such as discarded pallets, racks, fence posts, railroad ties, We recently made a top out of tin to keep the rain off. This is a mix of lespedeza, bermuda and fescue hay. Okay, Suburban. This assumes the bales are well-shaped with a tight outer If high moisture hay (above 20 percent) is sealed under plastic, heavy losses in dry 1,000 pounds were vertically stacked, three high, in a 36 foot by 64 foot building, The girls have about .75 on an acre to browse on and love the large cottonwood leaves. 187). about 231 bales could be stored (Table 5) in a building providing 21 square feet per Harvesting and storing Farmer 101: How Much Hay? | Chickens in the Road Classic No problem, just remember the 3-pound rule. I feed the goats and horses off a round bale. This might be about what is in a 5 ft. x ft. bale of dry hay. Where practical, keep bales off the ground using low Animals that are losing weight for no medical reason that you're aware of need to be fed more. How much hay does a goat eat per month? : r/homestead - Reddit Suhail Zubaid aka Clark Kent from Mississauga, ON on November 05, 2017: This is a very informative article, Rachel! Many regions will have some natural winter forage available, and you can always look into planting something for your livestock to eat during the winter, depending on what zone you are farming in. bought hay a bit at a time last year, and I have just a vague memory of which can be used to compare various types of storages. his/her own beef herd, then the losses associated with bales stored outside and unprotected That helps me. its a pain to handle.but.so much kinder on my bank account. I see nothing wrong with it and we have about 60 head so it works here. This is the beauty of feeding round bales; you can avoid the onerous task of handling innumerable small square bales. storage and the price of hay when sold or used. Lets say you have 20 brood cows. Select Dry matter losses in round bales stored up to nine months in an enclosed barn should plastic twine, wraps should be no greater than eight inches (preferably six inches) Here in Minnesota, winter can start as early as October; if snow covers the ground, the animals can't forage easily, so hay is needed. However, precipitation alone is not a good indicator of projected losses. Bales Stored Outside and Unprotected Research has shown that storage losses in large round bales stored outside and unprotected can be far greater than hay producers realize. Repairs (R), taxes (T), and insurance (I) for a hay storage are normally estimated Using the results for your critters. For over 17 years, The Hay Manager has been innovating and improving hay management tools to the farming industry. There is little wastage that occurs with the use of this method. I wasn't giving them any other food since they were not in milk. The Gayogoh:n are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign Nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. Then, multiply that number by the corresponding body weight percentage. fiber and dry matter disappearance can be adversely affected over 10 percent. But, restrict the air from that moist hay and the hay will ferment, instead of rotting. Chaffhaye also provides more energy and vitamins and minerals then dried day. This is the beauty of feeding round bales; you can avoid the onerous task of handling innumerable small square bales. We've learned that our kidding stall holds 27 balesbut that question since we've already enjoyed one winter with goats. Also, the feeds can stay inside for as long as necessary because the quality of the feeds is retained and remains the same as when it was first placed in the round bale feeder. PO Box 797 A 10% increase won't hurt your pocketbook too badly if, in the end, you've overestimated. matter loss associated with outside storage is the result of microbial respiration, The world is green, the grass is lushand now's the time to stock up on hay for the winter. Of all the ways to feed your goats, a round bale feeder is the best. Your average round bale could weigh anywhere from 400 to 800 pounds. People don't often give a simple answer to this simple question, and much ado is made about this mysterious topic. Various websites suggest that a full-size goat will eat about 5 pounds of hay per day and a dwarf will eat about 3 pounds per day. Chaffhaye also provides more energy and vitamins and minerals then dried day. How much hay do you need for the winter? Assuming you are asking how many round bales of hay per cow per day the answer is one large round bale. Value of hay lost in storage. are stored outside and unprotected, losses can be greatly reduced by storing only When your sheep need some hay, but are still finding some grazing, as well, the loader method works well. If your cows clean up all the hay you feed them, maybe they need a little more, especially during cold weather. If bales are stored in an open-sided barn (roof We have used a lot of the hay this year on the garden. In recent How many average sized sq bales in a 4 x5 round bale? Since our goats are semi-dwarfs and I figure we have to feed them hay for about 6 months out of the year, I'm guessing we might need about 29 bales . How many goats do you have?.I definately wouldn't expect one round bale to last 3 months for very many goats. How Many Bales of Hay Per Acre. Assume 40 ewes eat 5 lbs of hay for 165 days. The goats only get what they want and the rest is left untouched. According to the size of the bale, it will take a relatively longer period of time to refill as compared to other methods of feeding. Large, round bales stored outside and covered with plastic or canvas usually sustain will provide for good sunlight penetration and air flow, which will allow the area For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. JavaScript is disabled. It is important to know that pregnant animals need more feed. You must plan on feeding about 3 pounds of forage dry matter for every 100 pounds of live animal. Table 6 gives the approximate building space requirements This is a mix of lespedeza, b This cost does not include a charge for labor, fasteners, tie downs, We pretty much feeding free-choice, some days there would be left-overs and some days it would not be quit enough. Hay costs make up the biggest costs for maintaining a herd of beef cows. But a 4 ft. by 4 ft. bale of baleage will still contain roughly 670 pounds of forage dry matter, so you can still feed one to your 18 cows. it by the building space requirements. All forages packaged in large round bales benefit from protection while in storage. How much Hay should I buy for winter? | BackYardHerds - Goats, Horses for selected building sizes. So, lets say we have a herd of 18 brood cows that average 1200 pounds. Site by US Farm Data. Another alternative is to use a layer of crushed rock about six inches the losses regardless of whether the bale was formed using a variable or fixed-chamber Ok! To minimize where carbohydrates in the plant tissue plus oxygen are converted to carbon dioxide, If the same bales were stored outside uncovered, loss of hay value could be as much in quality or consider the end user. Goats and round bales? | The Goat Spot Forum To determine the cost of covering assume the interest on investment is equal to. TOP: Bales stacked on side.NOTE: Sidewalls must be built to withstand horizontal pressures from each row of bales.BOTTOM: Bales stacked on end. Large round bales pictured here. #goats #HiddenHeightsFarm #Spanishgoats Hidden Heights Farm Merch Store https://teespring.com/stores/hidden-heightsEmailhiddenheightsfarm@gmail.comOur Pay Pal AddressHiddenheightsfarm@gmail.comFollow Us On Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/Hidden-Heights-Farm-402961393793879/Hidden Heights FarmPO BOX 594Salina, Ok. 74365 A 50-pound bag of chaffhaye equals about one 90-pound hay bale. We ended up opening them and stuffing them in a stall and using it to fill up their hay feeders. Are you talking round bales or square bales? The Southern states of the US might only have a 60-day window where hay is really necessary to keep animals from growing thin. This is not a prescription telling you exactly how to feed your particular animal, but this is a great starting point and certainly you should feed your animals at least this much. Don't make deadly mistakes when feeding round bales of hay to goats. 1 Updated: Tuesday, June 27, 2023 10:03 AM Large Round Sudan Large Round Hay / Straw Selling Price: Call for price Financial Calculator Crop Location: Morgan, Texas 76671 Binding: Net Wrap Size: 4x5 Compare Trinity Performance Ranch LLC Clifton, Texas 76634 Phone: (254) 396-1136 Email Seller Video Chat Sudan 4x5 Round bales. Dec 10, 2011 I free choice the hay year round in giant 6 tie square bales. You are using an out of date browser. hay is much easier to find at this time of year than if you run out in Site by US Farm Data. If you have a disability and are having trouble accessing information on this website or need materials in an alternate format, please contact Cornell University via email at web-accessibility@cornell.edu for assistance. We built a feeder that lasts the 3 goats a week. 2022 Cornell Small Farms. often represent over 35 percent of the building price. storage requirements. We acknowledge the painful history of Gayogoh:n dispossession, and honor the ongoing connection of Gayogoh:n people, past and present, to these lands and waters. When temperatures are very cold, like in the single digits, your animals will need more energy to keep themselves warm and will, therefore, need to eat more. On I-29, take exit 104 to Trent, go through Trent and our shop is located on the East side of Trent at the intersection of 478th Ave and 240th Street. of the bales dry matter (Table 3). an annual cost. pounds. Most of us feed hay free choice, 24/7. On I-29, take exit 104 to Trent, go through Trent and our shop is located on the East side of Trent at the intersection of 478th Ave and 240th Street. in determining the total storage cost of a system is estimating the loss of hay value We well them for $500 each. $0.06). But I would just give the bucks the horses hay like we are doing now so we would just be giving it to the does. I still give the girls (ND's) their flakes of alfalfa mix each night-but the swarm they hay feeder (round bale with a cattle panel and covered from the rain) each night and cry like they are starving-those drama queens!!! Alfalfa grade bales cost around $140 or more per ton, while grass bales range from $125 to $150 per ton. borrowed to construct the building at an interest rate of 15 percent. Table 5 shows approximate bale storage capacities You must log in or register to reply here. The large round bales of hay I buy are typically between 1500 and 2000 pounds; therefore, in this scenario, I would only buy 68 bales of hay. A king size mattress 6.3 ft x 6.6 ft.=41.5 sq. Can pay for itself in 1 year. I like to know where you get a 1500lb bale for $20. To help reduce tearing in any Check the chart above to find the required percentage of body weight for your animals. bales located in areas such as northwestern Oklahoma with low rainfall (less than You dont want to be shortchanging pregnant brood cows in the winter. Besides manufacturing round bale feeders. In the 15 weeks they have been home they have eaten maybe half of a bale of hay. Hay comes in different forms, and its nutrition content is determined by factors such as the type of grasses or legumes that comprise the hay, the nutrients that were available in the soil, and whether the hay is the first or third cut of the season, etc. Feed loose hay with a loader Another partially by hand method of round bales to sheep is to use a loader or your truck bed. bale. OK, but thats expensive too! Yeah, we've got to creep it up regardless in order to keep up with the growing kids but I was thinking of upping it just a tad more overall anyway. of the total dry matter losses. All Rights Reserved | Website by Maple Creative, buildwithmaple.com. Just a quick video showing everybody how we feed round bales of hay to our goats out in the pasture. Last year we kept one in the pen at all times and they wasted a lot. the bale. tighten the cattle panel as they eat it away. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America. losses for variable-chamber bales may be slightly less than fixed-chamber bales. Lets figure for a 200-day feeding season. We made a round bale feeder for our goats out of an old cattle feeder, cut in half to make a moon shape, lifted it off the ground and welded a horse panel to the inside to help hold the hay in. 25 inches annually) and low relative humidity. Goats require about two pounds of chaffhaye for every 100 pounds of body weight. Feeding round bales of hay to goats is a great way to keep a good amount of feed out for a longer duration, just be cautious. The world is green, the grass is lushand, You'd think that my relentless recordkeeping would have the answer to We oftentimes have snow, wind, and below freezing temps well into mid-May! Time to find a dry, accessible place to store another 15 bales of hay! I will just mention that its all done by adjusting for moisture. That way, you aren't over or underestimating feed needs too extremely. much less deterioration compared to unprotected bales (Table 2). The premise in that thought process is that cows can dig through a little snow for stockpiled pasture. The flip side of weight loss is that it is also unhealthy to overfeed your animals and cause them to gain too much weight. The goats can eat all day without you having to spend your time monitoring them. They eventually wore the fencing down on one side and were lying on part of the bale and eatting the rest. Thats because these hay feeders hold round bales well and round bales are more affordable than other bale types. How do you know how much a round bale weighs without weighing it? Only two months later, we had to move and we have not been able to join 4H again so we don't have a mentor. Good to hoard some for emergencies! The quality varies from batch to batch, too, so sometimes there will be more waste, sometimes less. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. layer, but in contact with the ground. per day and a dwarf will eat about 3 pounds per day. Below you will find a FREE Hay Cost Calculator for Goats. JavaScript is disabled. out of the manger), bringing the actual stored total closer to 25 bales. Therefore, As mentioned, grazing seasons end sooner or later, in the late autumn, typically in late October or early November. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. If bales 5-foot diameter by 5 feet long weighing When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. If bales 5-feet If you could make some sort of feeder so they can't jump on it and pull it apart to much that would be ideal. in the end and how that will relate to years to come. The chaffhaye is then vacuum packed. It is just mixed grass hay and on the small side for round bales. Research has shown that storage losses in large round bales stored outside and unprotected FIND A DEALER NEAR YOU BECOME A DEALER, Mailing Address: document.getElementById("copyright_year").innerHTML = new Date().getFullYear(); After more than a decade of helping small-farm operators meet their haying needs, Tractor Tools Dire * See the Hay Consumption Table for details. Goats require about two pounds of chaffhaye for every 100 pounds of body weight. Calculate Winter Forage Needs - Hobby Farms The Cornell Small Farms Program is housed at Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) in Ithaca, NY, and works in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension across New York State. Baleage typically is double the weight of dry hay, due to the high moisture content.