Hay waste is money on the ground

With the current cost of feeds including hays, combatting waste is a good way to save some money. There are several shapes and sizes of hay from small square bales, rounds bales to large square bales. Each has its unique advantages and disadvantages. Producers with a few animals, horses and those with smaller livestock like sheep and goats may find small squares the best for them. Cattle producers with large groups to feed may find round bales the best fit. Large squares may best fit drylot and feedlot situations, where large bales can be processed and mixed with other feeds. No matter which you use, there is usually some waste. There are two big considerations for addressing hay waste, hay storage and feeding.

Storage of hay to prevent waste starts with protecting hay from the environment, specifically from moisture. Most of the time, we focus on moisture in the form of precipitation like rain and snow. We know hay acts like a sponge and even the tightest bales can absorb moisture, and this can promote mold, fungus and rot to degrade the hay quality and quantity. But do you consider moisture from the ground or from the bales themselves?

Many round and large square bales are stacked on the ground in a hay lot. They may or may not be tarped or even under a roof, but examining these bales, we can usually find some mold or rot on the bottom where the bales contacted the bare ground. Even in areas we consider very dry and well drained, condensation can occur, and the bottom of the bales will absorb moisture. There is not much that can be done, but if hay can be stored on ground that drains away from the stack, it can lessen the moisture in the ground. A producer should not stack hay in a low spot that water flows to or puddles in. For example, if you are lucky enough to have a section of abandoned roadway on your property, it is a great stack location as roads are normally built to be crowned in the middle for drainage.

For small square users, ground condensation can still be a factor even though most small squares are stored inside. Consider using old pallets to stack hay on. It keeps bales off the ground and allows airflow underneath to keep the bottoms dry.

Protection from precipitation is the usual focus and a very valid one. Consider a common five-and-a-half-foot diameter round bale. The outer six inches of the bale is equivalent to 33% (one-third) of the total hay in the bale. A bale that weighs 1,200 pounds means 396 pounds of hay is in the outer six inches. A 1,500-pound cow who needs 3% of forage per day could eat on that outer six inches for 8.8 days, assuming no waste. Stacking and properly tarping hay can protect it from rain and snow, but caution should be used as some tarps can trap moisture creating condensation that can have the same damaging effect as rain or snow.

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