Round Bales...How long do they last?

[jsites]

I just got a round baler that makes 4x5 bales that are tight from the inside out. I've only fed square bales and was wondering how long a round bale will last. I plan to seperate my mares into two groups of 7-8 horses and give each group a bale inside the barn run ins. The bales will be stored in a barn from start to finish. I'm trying to determine how many bales I will need to keep. Also is 7-8 horse per bale to many? Thanks

 

[atotton]

A round bale lasts my 3 miniatures almost a month.( free range) I don't feed them anymore that way because they waste a lot. I still buy one each winter but only pull off what they will eat to get the most out of the bale.

 

[BeeBopMini]

I feed 15 minis on a 4x5 bale and it last me 7 days. I pull off from the bale and give it to the minis. They do waste a great deal if it is free choice and depending on what kind of hay is in that bale, they will gain weight too quickly

Good luck!

 

[Whispering_Pines]

A round bale that size is aproximately 15 square bales or so. (a 4x5 bale) I prefer square bales they are just easier to handle for me, we feed our cows round bales, but then we have to start the tractor, or skidloader. My animals seem to waste more of the round bales too! Some people really like feeding round bales for the convenience of feeding though. You will have them stored inside from start to finish which will be half of the battle keeping the bales dry, and reduce the risk of them rotting.

 

[Just_Rena]

1 Big horse and 6 minis a round bale last 2 weeks - free choice. Hubby built a covered round bale holder, 3 sides fenced in with livestock panel - 4th side open. Very little waste.

 

[happy appy]

I have about 600 lbs bales feeding 6 minis and a donkey and they are lasting about 8 days. I feed with a slow feed round bale feeder net in a round bale metal feeder. I have zero waste. I also have the bales off the ground on pallets that are inside the metal feeder.

 

[Rhondaalaska]

I feed my 36" mare a 600lb round bail and it lasts her 2 month during the coldest days.

I think this last one may last longer this time. I have it covered so she eats it from. Only two sides

There is little waste for me.

 

[chandab]

I really don't know the dimensions of our round bales, but most have been weighing in at about 1200# (some heavier).

right now I'm feeding 12 minis off one round bale, and I think its lasting me about two weeks (just started feeding the whole group together recently due to incliment weather and having to rearrange corrals), might be a little less. [Those 12 consist of 3 yearlings, 6 mares, 2 geldings and 1 stallion; all B-size.] Before rearranging, I was feeding 6 mares and 3 yearlings off the round bales; they were lasting me about 3 weeks. The stallion was getting small squares (his stack is about gone, and currently I can't get through the snow to get to it); and the geldings were in their own pen and a round bale lasts them about 2 months. Oh, and I fork them hay twice daily; I don't know how long it would last if they had free choice. [Lately, the 3 saddle horses have been going through a round bale in about a week to 10 days; usually they last 2-3 weeks, not sure what's different right now.]

 

[Allure Ranch]

It really depends on the horses that are grazing on it.

Example:

I have one paddock with (5) two year old smaller fillies and there bale has been in the paddock for 5 weeks now. They still have half of it remaining and it will likely last another (4) weeks.

I have another paddock with (2) mature aged mares and (4) yearling smaller fillies and there bale has been in the paddock for 5 weeks now. They'll probably eat there's down in another (2) weeks.

I have another paddock with (4) mature mares, (1) breeding stallion and there bale has been in the paddock for 3 weeks now. There's is almost gone and I will likely have to replace it in another week.

 

[LindaL]

A 600 lb.-ish round bale lasts about 1.5-2 weeks here. It is under cover and there are 5 Minis and a Pony eating it free choice. There is some waste as I don't have a metal holder around it, so once it spreads, they pee/poop on it. (smh!)

My farrier told me that he feeds a compressed square bale that weighs about 1000 lbs and there is very little waste from it since it can't spread like a round bale does. I'm thinking of trying that instead.

 

[Lil Eowyn]

I get 6 bales per big horse per winter. I have 4 big horses so I got 25 bales. I fenced all of the hay in and I close it at night, and open it in the morning so they have access to it all day and it lasts through May when grass starts to grow. =) For my mini, I have square bales for her. But I'm probably not doing much help since you're probably talking about minis XD

 

[Zipper]

I went completely big bales this year and one pen has 6 minis and it lasts about 2weeks, the other one has 10 or so and it last a week.

They are on free feed and have ate more this winter but we didn't have the sun this winter.. They do waste some but I like that they have

something to lay on if they don't feel like walking to the barn.

Inside the barn we have a round bale and we saw it 5 rows and that is how I feed inside and it last about a week or so. I fork lots into their

pens and I have been very happy with it this year. My guys are doing good... A

At first they never leave the feeder but when they find out it is there all the time they do leave it but I feed hay year round and so I don't have

pasture and touch wood I never have had anybody colic.

 

[Minimor]

Last year we fed round bales that were about 750 lbs and one of those would last a group of 10 minis about 6 days.

 

[JAX]

I have 14 minis eating off of a 1000 lb bale. I use a slow feeder net and then a ring around that to keep them from urinating on my net. I have ZERO waste since I got the net and it has slowed them down a good amount but they still get enough to be of good weight. Bales used to last 2.5 weeks and with the net they are now lasting 3.5 weeks. Hay is so expensive here that the cost of the net versus the savings in hay was well worth it.

I have about 600 lbs bales feeding 6 minis and a donkey and they are lasting about 8 days. I feed with a slow feed round bale feeder net in a round bale metal feeder. I have zero waste. I also have the bales off the ground on pallets that are inside the metal feeder.

Hey Happy Appy,

Are you using the cinch chix net? Or is it a different one? I am thinking of ordering another for the big horses but am curious about other brands, their prices, and if anyone is happy with them.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I too use a slow feed net on my round bale (I made it myself - ordered the netting and just lace it closed) I don't use a feeder ring, just the net and a pallet to keep it out of the ice. The bales are about 1200lbs and last my 6 horses 10 weeks. They are allowed access to them for 4 hours each morning (all day when it is very cold which shortens the time - 8 weeks in the dead of winter) and then fed in their stalls every night. I have a couple of horses who are easily pushed off the hay tho so I offer one smaller net for them to eat at (or 2 of the bossier ones lol) until they all relax and settle into eating, after about an hour they can share the big bale just fine. Before I started offering the small net one of the low horses was starting to drop weight. Since I have fed this way my horses are in the best weight ever and seem far more content than previously, less hunting for crumbs and no chewing on my wooden fences (I do offer them birch blocks to strip the bark from tho)

 

[dannigirl]

our bales are approx. 1000lbs of grass hay. We put it in a round bale holder and it is outside. We have 17 mini mares--more than half are near pony size--and 3 adult llamas. We also feed grain to them once a day. They are on it 24/7 right now and that bale lasts about 10 days.

 

[happy appy]

I use the big bale buddy brand is slow feed nets. I think it was around $200 for the net when I bought it a few years ago .

 

[jsites]

Thanks for all the info. I think I'll have to weigh my bales to get a better handle on all these figures. My new question.....Are the round bale hay nets safe? Has anyone had minis get caught in them? Anyone have links to the best kind for minis?

 

[happy appy]

I haven't had a problem in 3 years of use.

I haven't had a problem in 3 years.

 

[Jean_B]

There is no answer. The only true answer is "It depends." It depends on the type of hay. It depends on the weight. It depends on the quality. It depends on the digestability. It depends on the method of feeding and whether there is a little or a lot of waste from pulling hay free and trampling into mud/manure. It depends on the number and size of your horses. It depends on how much other feed (grains & supplements) you are giving your horses. It depends on the temperature...horses need more hay in low temps as they need the roughage to keep warm. So....it just depends.