Ideas for Round Hay Bales

Round bales are the staple diet of most ranch animals. From cattle to horses, goats to sheep, round bales are the most efficient way to keep food in front of your livestock. Knowing what kind of round bales to provide for your animals is the best way to keep them healthy and happy. Coming up with the best ideas for your animals requires a little time, and a little research.

  1. Prairie Grass

    • If you live on the prairie or other open-range area, the best idea for your round bales is prairie hay. The bales are made from the natural grasses that grow on a rancher's land, without the use of fertilizers or outside grasses. Prairie grass round bales are the cheapest to bale as there is no investment other than the equipment and the time. An average prairie grass bale weighs 1,000 lbs. and maintain its nutritional value for a year in dry storage.

    Coastal Round Bales

    • Horses need quality grass hay to keep in good condition. Most horse owners entertain the idea of coastal hay for their stock. Coastal hay is Bermuda grass or another seeded grass that is grown, cut and baled. Generally, the first cutting is the least nutritious. With good seasonal rains, a field produces as many as four cuttings, with each cutting producing a higher nutritional value. Coastal round bales weigh up to 1,500 lbs. and maintain their feed value for a year or longer if stored in a dry area.

    Johnson Grass and Sudan Grass

    • An idea for round bales for livestock besides horses is Johnson grass or Sudan grass. These grasses are a heavier, thicker stalked plant than ordinary grass, and generally have a lower nutritional value than coastal or prairie grass. It is ideal for cattle, which chew a cud and get the most nutrition out of this type of round bale. These round bales weigh 800 to 1,000 lbs. on average and maintain their nutritional value in dry storage for up to a year.

    Oat Hay

    • Oat hay round bales are a great idea for all livestock owners. Oats are grown in the field and, just as the plant matures, it is cut, dried and baled. This provides livestock with both the roughage they need in addition to the benefits of a concentrated ration. It is expensive, but a good value in the long run. Oat hay bales run anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 lbs. and store for a year or more as long as they are kept dry.