How Much Hay?

[Z&J Cattle]

We are about to have 20 acres of our pasture cut for hay. It is fescue/bermuda (mostly fescue) and there is a pretty good stand of it. We got some good rains early in the spring and it really took off. It has not been fertilized. My question is, how many 4X5 round bales might I expect to get on 20 acres of average fescue/bermuda? I know this can vary greatly, but I am just trying to get a rough estimate and I have absolutely NO idea. Thanks in advance,

Zach

 

[Nowland Farms]

Zach,

There are almost too many variables for one to make an intelligent guess. Depends on the following factors:

>How much grass vs weeds?
>How thick is grass?
>How tall is the grass?
>The height at which it will be cut (inches from the ground).
>How tight will the bales be packed?
>How heavy will the bales be?

I do know that week before last I baled approximately 30 tons of fescue hay off 13.5 acres. Some areas of my fescue was thicker than other areas.

 

[Anonymous]

Nowland hit the nail on the head...there's no possible way to know...we have no idea how tall or thick it is or how tight your bales are going to be packed...if somebody answers your question without any other information then it will be nothing but a guess...whatever number popped into their head...it'd be impossible to even give you a rough estimate

Give some more info and im sure you will get a good answer back from somebody

Have a good day Zach

 

[dun]

Two fields roughly the same size, looked to have about the same volume of grass. One field 54 bales the other 18. Go figure

dun

 

[dj]

Z&J I'm getting around 1000-2000 lbs an acre.
Mostly on the lighter end.
The bermuda was only 12-14 inchs tall.
The fescue is 2-3 ft and all stem.
Orchard grass is a little better/leafyer (is that even a word)
The legumes are all doing pretty well. Vetch in particular
The best grass I'm seeing is the brome.
Good height and leaf

 

[haymaker]

100 rolls - approx. if its a decent stand.

 

[ERNIBIGB]

I rolled 44 4x5 rolls today on about 7 acres but it had been fertilized and was about the best we have seen so far this year.This was a mixture of fescue, orchard grass, clover and various weeds including some johnson grass.100 rolls on 20 acres would be expecting a lot if not fertilized or at least it would around here.