Once the bale has gotten small enough to relocate, you can clear the space for the next bale of hay to be dropped off. :/ I'm not sure why, because she was wormed more then a month ago! It is a high-quality hay that is rich in nutrients and is easy to digest, making it a popular choice for livestock. Not all bales would have 12 flakes, it would be more or less than the said number. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Twenty-three string bales make up a ton. I'm not sure if the previous owner ever rotated her dewormer. A tight bale will contain more hay and therefore be of higher value. The weight of the full bale will determine a flake of hays weight. Highly green hay might be a good indicator of the number of nutrients in the hay. Round bales cost less. Rained On Hay: Poorly colored weather-damaged hay will have a gray tint outside the bale. Just like the weight carrying ability, how many flakes of hay a horse should have per day is also dependent on his own weight. Hay bales range in weight from 40 to 2,000 pounds and come in various shapes and sizes. per day & lasts 166.67 days, Standard three-string bale size: 22 x 15 x 44. It is necessary to count the number of flakes in a bale and then divide the . Lets look at that more in the way of pros and cons of round hay bales. With a rolled up round bale it trickier to portion, but not impossible. Square bales of hay are convenient for carrying and dispensing, but they are eaten up like hors 'd oeuvres by hungry cattle. You can certainly measure feed quantities by flakes of hay or coffee cans of grain after you determine how much each of those units actually weighs. Higher hay yields bigger flakes, while more compression results in denser flakes. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". But here are some other things to look for, or to avoid, when purchasing round hay bales. There would not be 12 flakes in every bale. Understanding how many flakes are in a bale of hay is important for determining how much to feed your horse. A mix of dried legumes and grass from the row weighing about 5 pounds. Here's my start with questimates: a small bale weighs about 40 lbs. New to the equine world, I had little knowledge about the flakes of hay. Always feed by weight, as hay vary by grass type and from farm to farm. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". During a rainy season, humidity can reduce the nutritional value and speed up deterioration. In recent years Ive been traveling the country with my horses, competing in rodeos and other events. A lesser quality round bale will likely cost $65-$80. Doing so makes sure that their horses get a sufficient amount of food. Equinedesire.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, endless.com, smallparts.com, myhabit.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. The number of flakes in a hay bale varies but it is close to 12 to 16 flakes per bale. When the bale is tied with twine or wire, it tends to separate into layers. Calculate number of bales needed If you have 10 ewes in your flock, you'll need to feed a 45.5 pound bale everyday. You can get a better view from visiting Chewy shop here, where the actual prices of different types of horse hay are listed. She has a gigantic belly, so I'm not sure if she is just used to eating all day, or if I am accidentally not giving her enough food! But, again, it varies depending upon the amount of hay used. Posted on Small bales, or two-string bales, only weigh 40 to 75 pounds each. Depending on the type of hay and the type of bale, the size and shape of the bale can vary. Add that up over an entire winter and thats a lot of savings. Weighing hay is the most effective way to measure the correct amount. But again, after learning the ropes this became much more manageable! Topics: I have learned so much about horses, including their diet, lifestyle, and living arrangements. This way, we have less things to manage and less expenses. Hay bales will vary in weight. Flakes of hay are the almost equally sized slices of hay in a bale of hay. A high proportion of leaves shows efficient handling and harvesting techniques. As with hay flakes, hay cubes can also vary in terms of weight. Large square bales (approximately 4 foot x 4 foot x 8 foot) are increasing in popularity, especially with commercial hay growers (Figure 5). Premium Cutting: Will be done on a 28-day cutting cycle. Feeding by scoops or flakes will work as long as know the weight for the volume of feed that is being fed. Tell us about it in the comments section! A hay bales average number of flakes is dependent on its size and weight. For example, some bales are round and some are rectangular. Flakes of Hay-What are They - The Horses Guide Goats 4.4 lbs. Counting flakes in a bale of hay can be a bit tricky, but its an essential skill for any horse owner. I use a plastic garden cart for this and unravel several rolls of hay at a time to fill the cart with. Generally speaking, a hay bale will contain an average of 12 flakes. When Im not riding, I love to spend my free time with my family and friends, camping, and fishing. A hay bale is made up of different flake layers. These sections, or layers, are called flakes. This is important because hay is typically harvested in the summer when it is abundant, but livestock need to be fed throughout the year. How many flakes of hay would say a small bale of alfalfa/grass hay contains? small square bales and a 950 lb. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. This can depend on the type of hay used, the manufacturing process, and how the hay is dehydrated. Now, the size of a hay bale might not appear to matter to the layperson. How Many Flakes Of Hay Are In A Bale - 666how.com One more thing worth noting is that a fair amount of hay can fall to the ground while unrolling the bale. Well grown, cut, and preserved hay is a beautiful thing. Freeman. Cool, dry storage prolongs the life of hay bales, and you need to maintain airflow around the hay bales. Different amounts of hay are fed into each hay bale and flake, relatively. More information on the importance of feeding horses by weight and not volume can be found by following this link. General rule is a horse will eat 1 to 2% of their body weight. The bale is tied with wire or twine, when it is cut, hay tends to fall apart into layers. How do you win an academic integrity case? The average weight of hay bales may range from 40 to 140 pounds or more, in some cases. In this section, we will discuss the average number of flakes in a bale of hay and how to count flakes in a bale of hay. Small square bales typically contain fewer flakes than larger round bales. Conclusion, Top 10 Best Horse Saddle for Mountain Riding, Top 5 Best Horse Saddle for Hunting in 2023. However, after trying it for a full winter and assessing the pros and cons, Im not missing small square bales as much as I thought I wouldmaybe not at all! A small bale contains about 5 flakes of hay weighing 8 lb each. Hay should only last a few days to feed your livestock. Knowing an average bale of hay weighs about 60 pounds (23 kg), you can quickly calculate the weight of each flake. Flakes are formed through the compression/release phenomenon that happens in the bailing process. Violence & Scariness Not present. Hay in three-string bales is of the highest caliber for horses, with around 17 flakes when a bale breaks apart. A large bale will weigh more than a smaller one, so its not surprising. A hay field is cut down, dried out, and then baled up. Just googling how much a flake is comes up with a flake is about 5 lbs. Generally speaking, a bale of hay contains around 12 to 16 flakes, with each flake weighing around 4 to 5 pounds. The most common sizes of hay bales are round bales, which typically range in size from 4 to 5 feet in diameter and 2 to 3 feet tall. by J. Keeler Johnson June 14, 2022 PHOTO: Daniel Johnson Sometimes, it can seem as though producing square hay bales is more of an art than a science. Overall, the number of flakes in a bale of hay can vary depending on several factors, including the type of hay, size of bale, and compression level. 16 standard three-string bale will make up a feed store ton. Twenty-four tons can fit on a semi-truck. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. I used to sit at the stable as a kid and hang out with my Papa while he was training the horses. Fortunately, the tighter bales we made later in the summer are holding together better. If your horse finishes the flake in 32 minutes or less, we would assume that the bales are small. Besides this, it can also affect how long it lasts, and you could lose money because your baled hay will rot, as it breaks down when not stored correctly, and you cant use it fast enough. You would need to gather 40 small bales of hay to get close to a ton of hay because a ton is equal to 2,000 pounds. However, this can differ depending on the type of hay and the size of the bale. I would like to make this salve. If you have 5 sheep, you'll be feeding about half a bale, you get the idea. Or, if temperatures are going to heat up, you might want to try and get hay delivered before the ground thaws and turns into a muddy mess. Therefore, its always a good idea to weigh a bale and count the flakes to get an accurate estimate of how much hay is in each flake. A flake of hay is a compact bundle of dried grass that has been harvested, cured, and baled for feed. Hay is a type of forage that is harvested and dried to preserve its nutritional value. This post focuses on how to feed round bales by hand. The amount of hay you need for your livestock depends on what animals you raise. Like in the case of the number of flakes per bale, the thickness of a bale also depends on the amount of hay used and the compression force applied during the baling process. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. In other words, a 1,000 lb horse should be fed 18 pounds of dry matter each day. ow long does a bale of hay last for one horse? - RideAble All flakes of hay are not equal because there is no standard size of flakes, and the amount of hay used and the intensity of pressure applied during the baling process also matter. But for whatever reason, we struggled to nail down the right blend of size, weight and twine tension last summer. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. How do you do this and reduce waste? The grass hay I have is really crummy, and all falls apart when I open the bale. Many livestock graze on pasture during the growing season and then switch to hay during the colder months. Note: the hay analysis should show the DM content of your forage. Ag-Xcellence has combined technology for small square balers | Hay and The number of flakes in a bale of grass hay can vary depending on the type of grass, the size and shape of the bale, and the moisture content. Note: the hay analysis should show the DM content of your forage. For us, this has looked like giving our couple cows one full cart of hay in the morning and one full cart in the evening. A ton: 2000# pounds of hay to the ton. Other stacking methods use the outer string bales of hay as a cover to protect the rest. 6 How long does it take a horse to finish a flake of hay? By baling hay, farmers can control the amount of hay that they feed to their livestock. How To Feed Round Hay Bales By Hand - From Scratch Farmstead Equine Science, 2nd Edition. How many hay bales is a ton? - Wise-Answer Contents and sizes can vary widely among round bales. Whats a flake of hay? Horses should only be allowed to eat a small amount of the flakes each day. It is also important to check the weight and number of flakes per bale before making a purchase to make sure the horse gets a sufficient amount of hay. When we calculated his old diet, each flake of hay averaged 5 pounds each. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. This process is divided into a few simple steps: cut, compress, tie with wire or twine, and spit out in a rectangular shape. A simple calculation of dividing bale weight by the number of pounds per day will give you how many days the bale should last. Protein: Alfalfa and other legume hays are valuable sources of protein that are easy to add to the diet. Most people go for 5 flakes a day. Your 2nd and 3rd cutting will yield higher percentages of alfalfa and clover. Heres a detailed answer. Generally speaking, a bale of hay contains around 12 to 16 flakes, with each flake weighing around 4 to 5 pounds. First is by simply finding the end of it, pulling the netting around the bale, and unwrapping the bale fully. Getting a horse is overwhelming as it is so I decided to make it easier for you by providing all the information about hay flakes in this post. How Many Flakes Of Hay Are in a Bale? For example, a small square bale may contain 12-16 flakes, while a large round bale can contain up to 50 flakes or more. Horse owners often buy hay flakes to feed their horses. A retail three string bale weighs 100 # there are 20 bales in a ton. You can also find cheaper hay by visiting local pastures because most of the people split hay bales with neighbors either for free or they charge very little. Then by the time theyre hungry again, youre right there with their next round of hay! The type of hay used to make a bale can affect the number of flakes it contains. Were synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers used? That of a split bale. Each bale of hay has a different number and weight of flakes as the hay splits into flakes. Good idea to add a few tiny hay flakes to a group of nursing mothers as a supplement. On my farm, we bale around 2,000 small square hay bales each summer. I have purchased bales as light as 35 pounds per bale and as heavy as over 120 pounds per bale, and that was straight alfalfa. How To Calculate How Much Hay To Feed Your Horse They are typically 3 feet wide, 3 feet high, and 8-10 feet long. 2. a small piece or particle: a flake of snow. When it comes to feeding livestock, hay is an essential component of their diet. These bales are popular with western hay producers because. A regular 40-pound square bale of hay lasts roughly 3.5 days for one horse. What is considered a flake of hay? However, this difference only exists due to the type of baling machine used. LOL. One thing to note is when you want to know how many bales per ton will be sold. Understanding the Limits of Equine Athleticism, How Wild Horses Float Their Teeth: A Comprehensive Guide, Why You Mount a Horse on the Left Side: The Historical and Practical Reasons, How Much Space Does a Horse Need? She mostly eats off the ground. And many factors influence the end results. Please give better information for making the Drawing Salve. Custom A-Frame Chicken Tractor For (Almost) Free, 25 Homesteading Quotes To Empower And Inspire, https://fromscratchfarmstead.com/diy-drawing-salve/, Easy Farmhouse Cheddar Hard Cheese Recipe, Predator Proof Chicken Coop Essentials You Need To Know, How To Make Quick and Natural Mozzarella Cheese with Vinegar, Large Square Bales 2 x 2 x 8 or 3 x 3 x 8. A coffee can or a scoop of grain is an arbitrary amount. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. I share more on how I do that coming up. Such hay answers cost-effectiveness and is good to premium quality. A single bale can look like another on the outside, yet it can be different on the inside. The flakes are the easily divided sections that are formed when a square bale is picked up by the baler. NoteA recent studyfound that horses need hay or pasture about 1.5% to 2.5% of their body weight. Cuttin' Enoch's Big Hay Bales Into Flakes - YouTube How many small bale of hay in a 3x3x8 square bale? It is a high-quality hay that is rich in nutrients and is easy to digest, making it a popular choice for livestock. The leaves contain 60% of all the edible minerals, 70% of the protein, and 90% of the vitamins. We have a half dozen or so of these old knives from our ranch. ), they were also far too loose. The average flake of hay weight is about four to five pounds. A "feed store ton" can be 16 bales. Hay that is not thoroughly dry after cutting the pasture will be heavier than a cut and thoroughly dried pasture of alfalfa. In conclusion, while the exact number of flakes in a bale of hay may vary, understanding the factors that can affect it can help horse owners make informed decisions about feeding their animals. How Many Bales Of Hay Do Sheep Need? - Family Farm Livestock You need a tractor or skid steer to move it. Sometimes you will. - Buck Brannaman, "Nothing forced can ever be beautiful." I love to solve equine health care issues and note down in the form of research papers. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. One flake from a light, 40 lb bale of hay is less than one flake from a heavy bale. Cured hay maintains its freshness and nutritional profile when properly stored for at least a year. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Process of Harvesting Hay Types of Hay Storing and Feeding Hay Frequently Asked Questions Some types of hay, such as alfalfa, are denser and heavier than others, resulting in fewer flakes per bale. each. Maybe you have seen hay bales in the field. Because of this efficiency, many farmers have invested in round hay bale equipment. A mix of dried legumes and grass from the row weighing about 5 pounds. 5 How many bales of hay does a horse eat in a week? Most horses consume approximately 10-15 pounds of hay each day, according to my observations. My equine related work is watering a lot of horse-related magazines and blogs. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Although the number of flakes within a hay bale is variable, it averages between 12 and 16 flakes per bale. Square Bales: At 44 x 22 x 15, two-string hay weighs about 60 lbs. I saw many other new horse owners struggling with the same questions, not knowing what to do or where to look for. Factors Affecting the Number of Flakes in a Bale of Hay, Average Number of Flakes in a Bale of Hay, How Much Weight Can a Mini Horse Pull? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Sure, the advances of modern weather forecasting make it easier to identify sunny stretches suitable for baling. It all depends on the size of the bale. The number of flakes in a hay bale is also relative to the size and weight of the bale. Yes. (Learn How To Get Rid Of Pine Needles). Hay Cubes. But a challenging winter of handling exploding hay bales has reiterated a lesson: its important to take the time to get baler settings correct and create hay bales with proper twine tension. Counting flakes is important to keep balers as . A 1,500 lb. Understand the farmers growing practices and make sure they align with your values. Hi, I am Waqar and active in the horse world since 2012. Resultantly, the flake size may differ from bale to bale or even within a bale. For example, you can find a ton of three-string bales weighing around one ton, and each bale weighs about 100 pounds. When it comes to feeding our horses, hay is a staple in their diet.