Bale size versus bale weight
Do you pay your hay contractor on a cost/bale basis or do you buy your hay on a $/bale basis?
Do you really know the weights of these bales?
Do you know how much money you may actually be over paying contractors or hay sellers and I am sure, rarely, under paying?
Although there are contractors and sellers trying to do the right thing price-wise, to maintain credibility and continue their good rapport with valued clients.
To be fair, it is almost impossible to have every bale of identical size and weight.
Both can vary due to plant maturity at harvest, hay moisture content, bale density and if and how the bale diameter is determined by either the equipment alert system and/or the operator.
This article is more about alerting you to some concerns about the charge rate or cost of hay based on bale size and particularly bale weight outside of realistic expectations.
A recently conducted hay bale weight guessing competition by the Australian Fodder Industry Association (AFIA) found 200 entries estimated a bale ranging from 250 – 2000 kg fresh weight, with most guesstimates between 500 – 800 kg.
Actual bale weight was 404 kg and only eight guesstimates were in the 400 – 450 kg range.
When cattle are sold by weight or when you buy grain or fertiliser, you expect to be paid or to pay on their accurate weight as per scales.
Yet when dealing with hay, this rarely happens unless the purchased load is put across a weigh bridge.
Admittedly when paying a contractor on per bale basis the nearest weigh bridge may be far away so not easy to get a weight on the bales being produced.
However, is it possible to beg, borrow or steal a cattle weighing scale, set them up and weigh a few bales, or something similar? Yes, a hassle but look at the numbers later in article.
Unlike silage, hay does have reasonably consistent moisture content at baling.
Mind you, large squares, large rounds and small square bales do require slightly different moisture contents to ensure safe baling.
However, even if identical bale volume could be produced with any bale size (and form), bale weights will vary a bit due to the moisture content at baling, bale density and the maturity and forage type.
Hay bought or baled on a per bale basis can be a minefield and, if possible, should be avoided.
Buying price/baling charges should be on a weight basis, or at least with agreed bale size and reasonable density.
Bales slumping within an hour or so of baling or after purchased hay is unloaded are way too soft, that is, not dense enough.
Bales that hold their shape into the next day are very dense, will weigh heavy and result in fewer bales per hectare.
You may be very happy to pay a reasonable price per bale in this case.
Bale density is influenced by wrap tightness and bale compression and can vary substantially according to the operator’s preference and ability of the equipment used.
Most balers have a range of settings that enable wrap tightness and bale compression can be increased or decreased.
Mind you, some balers can produce soft centres or the compression backed off for forage which may not be fully cured to allow heat and sweat loss.
Density is also affected by plant maturity, leafy pasture being more dense than older, stemmy pasture.
Similarly Lucerne is more dense than cereal hay and forage species. - Frank Mickan, Agriculture Victoria, fodder and conservation specialist