Please help me calculate hay weight

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LauraleesFarm

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Hi everyone,
We have a custom baling business (new) and we have a whole lot of 4 x 4 round bales that were custom baled for shares. I need to calculate the weight of these bales so that we can price them to sell. Is there a formula that can be applied to custom sized round bales in order to approximate the weight? Thank you in advance for your help.
 
Most accurate way would be to load at least 3 up and take them accross a scale then take the truck/trailer back and get a empty weight. Too many variables to do it by math, its just a guess otherwise.
 
yes load 3 up an pull them accross the scales.if i was gonna guess a 4 by 4 weight id say 650 to 750lbs a bale depending on the type of hay.
 
I weigh a sample of the 5 x 6 round bales I purchase on my platform cattle scale. It comes out from under my alley easily. I have found that the same size bales from the same supplier but two different rows can vary by as much as 20%. If you are starting out in the baling business it is especially important that you establish a reputation for being honest. A reputation for quality and honesty is priceless. I would sell by the ton actual weight. You could weight the truck/trailer before and after or weigh by the bale for smaller sales. jmho. Good luck. Jim
 
I bale alot of 4x4s with a pretty new New Holland BR 730 and they typically weight around 450 lbs. in first cutting grass and grass mixed hay. In second cut they are a lot heavier. The manual says that the baler can produce a 750 pound bale. I hear alot of guys saying the 4x4s are 7 or 800 lbs., I highly doubt this in most 1st cut situations, but as mentioned earlier, should weigh a few loads so that you really know. I have done enough loads weighed through the years and figured out that my baler is pretty consistent enough that I can count on that weight.
 
hayray":3n0myeed said:
I bale alot of 4x4s with a pretty new New Holland BR 730 and they typically weight around 450 lbs. in first cutting grass and grass mixed hay. In second cut they are a lot heavier. The manual says that the baler can produce a 750 pound bale. I hear alot of guys saying the 4x4s are 7 or 800 lbs., I highly doubt this in most 1st cut situations, but as mentioned earlier, should weigh a few loads so that you really know. I have done enough loads weighed through the years and figured out that my baler is pretty consistent enough that I can count on that weight.
I think you are right on with your #s
alot of 4x5 bales around here and everyone says they weigh 900 to 1000 very few weigh more than 700
I also run a NH baler and I bale a 4x5 consistently that will weigh right out of the baler between 1000 and 1150 but I am running my pressures up pretty high on grass hay
my grass hay after sitting will consistently weigh around 950lbs
I have baled some 1800lb 4x5 alfalfa bales but let me tell ya the baler and tractor both knew it
 
We had a JD 335 round baler for 10 years that made 4x4 bales. Our bales of coastal weighed 550-600 lbs. The bales were weighed right after baling so would have been even lighter later.
 

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