Stack round bales tight end to end or leave a space?

[SRBeef]

The bale cover thread reminds me of a question on whether or not to leave a space between bales when lining them up end to end.

I have had experienced people tell me exact opposite opinions. So this year I left a foot or so between the ends as in the bale cover photo on some and lined up others tight. I line both up and down the hill rather than across.

What do you think and why. This in a wet, cold, snow, long hay season area.

 

[cfpinz]

This ain't Wisconsin, but I leave spaces between each bale. I've tried both ways and we have less waste if a space is left, plus I feed a lot with the truck and need the gap to get the arms in to pick up bales.

 

[Angus Cowman]

I stack mine tight end to end but only after I have let them sit and go thru the heating process and I have not had a prob with spoilage i leave about 3 ft between the side s of rows I try to barn store all my hay but can only hold 1000 bales so always have a few 100 setting out and I feed them first

 

[1982vett]

I've seen it done both ways. I think the theory behind the space in between would be better for hay not covered as water will trickle down between them and won't be able to dry. Another reason is if the hay is a bit green or had gotten rained on before stacking, gives it a better chance or "airing out". I put mine in rows making it easier to cover and cut down on area exposed to weather. Needs to be properly cured and free of morning dew or moisture from rain before stacking tightly together. A feller not far from here has his stacked round side to round side and I cringe each time I drive by, especially because he has some double stacked.

 

[bigbull338]

we stack our hay end to end.an leave 1 to 2ft between the rows.

 

[dun]

I stack mine tight end to end but only after I have let them sit and go thru the heating process and I have not had a prob with spoilage i leave about 3 ft between the side s of rows I try to barn store all my hay but can only hold 1000 bales so always have a few 100 setting out and I feed them first

This is how we do it too.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Depends on the bales good tight bales stack the tight, If they are not real tight leave a space between them.

 

[Jogeephus]

I stack mine tight end to end but only after I have let them sit and go thru the heating process and I have not had a prob with spoilage i leave about 3 ft between the side s of rows I try to barn store all my hay but can only hold 1000 bales so always have a few 100 setting out and I feed them first

This is how we do it too.

Me too. I push hard on the ends each time I put a bale in place. Most of the time when I break a roll, the inside is as pretty as the day it was put in a roll. However, occassionally there will be a roll that wasn't centered properly and a gap was left. These are few and far between but they typically will have black rotten hay streaks where the water ran through. This, I assume, is why some people leave gaps.

 

[grannysoo]

Until this year, I had always butted them up tight. This year however, I am leaving about a foot between them. Don't know for sure how it's going to work, but so far, it's looking better.

When butting them up tight with each other, you still have water get in and it creates a lot of rot. This way, that can not happen.

 

[hillrancher]

If I store in the bottoms next to the river or lake we give them space. On high ground away from the bottoms stack end to end and on a slope and a fairly steep slope to the south they keep well. On high ground we have kept for 3 years with very little waste. In the bottoms it will be about all black in 3 years.

 

[hayrack]

I stack mine tight end to end but only after I have let them sit and go thru the heating process and I have not had a prob with spoilage i leave about 3 ft between the side s of rows I try to barn store all my hay but can only hold 1000 bales so always have a few 100 setting out and I feed them first

This is how we do it too.

Me too. I push hard on the ends each time I put a bale in place. Most of the time when I break a roll, the inside is as pretty as the day it was put in a roll. However, occassionally there will be a roll that wasn't centered properly and a gap was left. These are few and far between but they typically will have black rotten hay streaks where the water ran through. This, I assume, is why some people leave gaps.

I push them hard and put them end to end too. I use a pallet type mover when I stack and when you push from the bottom they stay when you back off. I have found with the ones that go in the middle no matter how hard you push when you back off the bale will move a little.