# Round Bales vs. Square Bales?



## Rvrfshr (Feb 26, 2012)

Would like to get opinions on feeding hay.

In the winter I feed my sheep square bales of bermuda hay.  The waste is great as they foul the hay that they pull out of my rick and trample on it.

Round bales are cheaper for me but I do not have the kind of storage for them as I do for square bales.

I'd like to know if sheep will eat bad hay that has been out in the rain and weather, and if bad hay will cause health problems.

Was thinking about erecting an open 6' x 7' frame structure using 4x4's and a roof over it, and using field wire placed around a round bale and secured with bungee cords that can be adjusted as the bale is consumed.  I would elevate the bale approx. 4" off the ground to avoid spoilage on the bottom of the bale.

Any ideas or tips on this approach?


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## SheepGirl (Feb 26, 2012)

We feed square bales. We also put the hay in feeders. One year, we made a make-shift hay feeder with unused gates. With round bales, you need a tractor to move them. Sheep will only eat bad hay if there's nothing left for them to eat. 

How many sheep are you feeding? Are you putting the hay in feeders?


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## Rvrfshr (Feb 26, 2012)

SheepGirl said:
			
		

> We feed square bales. We also put the hay in feeders. One year, we made a make-shift hay feeder with unused gates. With round bales, you need a tractor to move them. Sheep will only eat bad hay if there's nothing left for them to eat.
> 
> How many sheep are you feeding? Are you putting the hay in feeders?


At the present time my herd is at 10 animals of varying ages.   I used modified pallets to build hay feeders.  They work fine, but there is a lot of waste and I do not put more than a days worth of hay into them at any one time becuase of weather changes, waste and possible spoilage.

I can buy round bales (5'x6') of 2nd cutting bermuda grass hay for $25..  Much better than the $2.50 per bale ($3-4 in the winter) for square bales.

Don't have a real farm tractor but do have a utility trailer that will accommodate a single round bale.  The trailer has a tilt feature which would allow me to roll a bale of hay off of it.  I plan on storing the hay where it will be fed, and denying access to stored bales until others are used up or not suitable for feed any more.

My biggest concern about round bales is how long can they be used.  I see that local cattle ranchers nearby leave a bale out in all kinds of weather with an iron ring around it to prevent wastage and fouling.   Not having any experience with round bales, I am more concerned with my sheep getting "bad hay" and becoming ill.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Feb 26, 2012)

Rounds bales are not real great with Sheep and Goats unless you can keep in a feeder.  My neighbor has been bringing me round bales for a really good price.  The sheep and goats, climb in and dig to get to the middle (the good stuff).  They then sleep in the rest of it.  And once they walk on it or lay on it, they are not eatting it.  We now have a round bale feeder that is meant for sheep and goats.  They are wasting very little.  The horse, just eat from the top of the feeder.


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## Rvrfshr (Feb 26, 2012)

Thanks for the responses (SheepGirl & ThreeBoysChicks)

Does the field wire idea sound feasible?  I have some on hand and would prefer using what I have vs. buying more equipment.


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## Rvrfshr (Feb 26, 2012)

This is sort of what I had in mind, but would add 4x4 corners, a roof and field fence around the bale.


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## Beekissed (Feb 26, 2012)

I know people who rig their round bales like this for their sheep and it works okay.   I did something similar for my square bales...just placed a cattle panel on the front of the stack in the barn and kept it tight with bungee cords...the sheep fed themselves, there was very little waste and I didn't lift a bale all season.  I was immensely pleased with the experiment and would use it again.  

Here's a pic:







And a pic of it being used:


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## Rvrfshr (Feb 26, 2012)

Thanks B,  This gives me ideas on how to accomplish using the round bales.

Cutting the labor out of feeding the hay appeals to me, but I enjoy my time amongst my flock so I would probably have to inspect it a couple of times a day.  :/

We're now at a size flock where we have choices for which animals to keep for breeders and which to sell or put in the freezer.


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## aggieterpkatie (Feb 27, 2012)

I'm currently feeding round bales and while it's more labor intensive for me than square bales, it's also SOO much cheaper.  I get a good deal on hay since I buy from a farm where I used to work, so a 1200lb round bale is only $40.  Since we dont' have a tractor, we have to use a system where we tie a strap around the bale, and slide it off the trailer (using another vehicle to anchor it, or a tree if possible).  We set it on pallets, cover it w/ a tarp, and then fork the hay off it to feed.  I would love to be able to just put it out in the pasture and wrap it w/ cattle panels, but right now we just don't have a good place to do that.  Plus, a 1200 lb round bale will last me 2 months, and by that time it would mold if left out in the rain.  The last one I fed ended up having about 1/8th or so of waste, since it got wet and molded.  Still, if you take into account how cheap round bales are compared to square bales, it makes it worth while.


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## Rvrfshr (Feb 27, 2012)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> I'm currently feeding round bales and while it's more labor intensive for me than square bales, it's also SOO much cheaper.  I get a good deal on hay since I buy from a farm where I used to work, so a 1200lb round bale is only $40.  Since we dont' have a tractor, we have to use a system where we tie a strap around the bale, and slide it off the trailer (using another vehicle to anchor it, or a tree if possible).  We set it on pallets, cover it w/ a tarp, and then fork the hay off it to feed.  I would love to be able to just put it out in the pasture and wrap it w/ cattle panels, but right now we just don't have a good place to do that.  Plus, a 1200 lb round bale will last me 2 months, and by that time it would mold if left out in the rain.  The last one I fed ended up having about 1/8th or so of waste, since it got wet and molded.  Still, if you take into account how cheap round bales are compared to square bales, it makes it worth while.


Hi Aggie,

How many animals are you feeding off this 1200# bale?


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## aggieterpkatie (Feb 27, 2012)

Rvrfshr said:
			
		

> aggieterpkatie said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm feeding 3 sheep and 2 goats.  Soon there will be 2 lambs added, but they won't eat much hay for a while.


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## Cornish Heritage (Mar 1, 2012)

We feed a grass/alfalfa mix hay to our pigs when there is no grass. Once the grass is out they get weaned off the hay. We have found that if we leave the ties on it there is WAY less mess. We do removes the strings once it is eaten down but by leaving the strings on at first they do not spread it everywhere. 

When we raised goats at one time we did feed the round bales but found that they would eat it from the bottom & twice we lost a goat to the bale falling on top of it! SO if we were to do that again we would have to secure it much better. 

Liz


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## Rvrfshr (Mar 14, 2012)

Rvrfshr said:
			
		

> Thanks B,  This gives me ideas on how to accomplish using the round bales.
> 
> Cutting the labor out of feeding the hay appeals to me, but I enjoy my time amongst my flock so I would probably have to inspect it a couple of times a day.  :/
> 
> We're now at a size flock where we have choices for which animals to keep for breeders and which to sell or put in the freezer.


Building my shed to store and feed from.

Thanks for the idea!


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## Rvrfshr (May 28, 2012)

Beekissed said:
			
		

> I know people who rig their round bales like this for their sheep and it works okay.   I did something similar for my square bales...just placed a cattle panel on the front of the stack in the barn and kept it tight with bungee cords...the sheep fed themselves, there was very little waste and I didn't lift a bale all season.  I was immensely pleased with the experiment and would use it again.
> 
> Here's a pic:
> 
> ...


Hi Bee,

Am just finishing an 8x10 hay shed fashioned on the photo's that you posted.  Have faced this structure in a manner that will allow access from two diffferent pens, am using t-posts to move the cattle panels as the hay is eaten.  Picked up a dandy tool that is designed specifically for removing the posts from the ground.

Thank you again for sharing this information.


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