The technology to produce round hay bales has been around since the 1940’s but round bales did not become commonplace until the late 1970’s and the early 1980’s. It requires less time and labor to bale the round bales than the traditional square bales. Also round bales with a diameter of four, five or six feet and a width of four to five feet can contain one thousand to two thousands pounds of hay. That is the equivalent to twenty to forty-five square bales. Timing of hay baling is very important. It should be baled before it becomes brittle and loses the leaves. The hay is usually drier at mid-day but towards the evening it tends to dampen which will cause the hay to be tough for the balers to bale. A large rain could completely ruin a crop of hay by decreasing the value as well as the nutrients. |
