How many acres do you need to make hay?

Horse farmers are looking for good hay, and they're willing to pay for it. Here was the thought, on 50 acres you would get 100 square bales per acre, which is a conservative number. If we do the math, that works out to be. 100 bales x 50 acres = 5000 bales of hay for 50 acres of land.

How much hay will 1 acres produce?

Even an average rule of thumb can vary widely by region, soil, and type of hay. For us here in the Midwest, a mixed grass/legume hay can yield anywhere from one to five tons per acre for a full season.

How many pounds of hay does an acre produce?

120 square feet divided by 43,560 square feet per acre equals 0.0028 acres. If the amount of hay weighed 20 pounds, then 20 pounds divided by 0.0028 acres equals 7,142 pounds, or 3.5 tons per acre. Weigh hay from several different sections in the field in order to get a representative yield.

How many bales of hay does a cow need for winter?

For a cow needing 8,190 pounds of hay per year and a bale weight of 960 pounds, divide 8,190 by 960 for a yearly need of about 8.5 bales per cow. Multiply this by the total number of weaned cattle in your herd. For example, 45 cows multiplied by 8.5 bales per cow results in a total need of 383 bales.

How many straw bales cover an acre?

The application rate per acre should be about 2 tons (or one 74 pound bale per 800 square feet). Straw should be clean rice, barley, or wheat straw.

should you make or buy your hay? here's the math for small farms

How many bales of hay does a cow need a day?

A 1200-pound cow, ready for processing, will require 36 pounds of forage per day based on the formula used here. Thirty-six pounds of hay is close to one small square bale of hay per day, taking into consideration some waste.

How much hay does a cow need?

Cows will voluntarily consume 2.0% of body weight or 24 pounds per day. The 24 pounds is based on 100% dry matter. Grass hays will often be 7 to 10% moisture. If we assume that the hay is 92% dry matter or 8% moisture, then the cows will consume about 26 pounds per day on an “as-fed basis”.

What does a bale of hay cost?

On average, a bale of hay costs around $15. For example, two wired Alfalfa Hay bales typically run high, costing $19.95 apiece, whereas bermudagrass is only $8.75. Timothy Hay is the most expensive, typically costing at least $20 a bale.

Is hay farming worth it?

He says it costs about $297 per acre to seed and prepare hay ground. “You are going to get more than three years out of that, but if we use three years, that's about $100 per acre per year,” Brown says. “If you are getting $125 per ton for quality hay, you are going to see a profit of $51 per ton, or $204 per acre.

Is it cheaper to buy hay or make it?

In most environments where forage production is based on natural rainfall, you can almost always buy hay cheaper than you can produce it.

How much is a bale of hay 2020?

Small square bales averaged $4.60 a bale (range of $2.00 to $6.00). Large square bale straw averaged $64.00 per bale (a range of $40.00 to $90.00). Large round bale straw averaged $58.00 per bale (a range of $40.00 - $85.00). In Nebraska, hay sold steady, demand is light in 2020.

How much hay does a 500 pound calf eat per day?

Unless indicated by the person you purchased the calf from, cattle should be adapted gradually to growing rations rather than abruptly put on high-grain diets. When the calf starts on feed, first provide high-quality grass hay for free choice consumption (3% of body weight; 15 lbs per day for a 500 lb calf).

Do cows need hay in winter?

As a general rule, range grasses hold their feed values better through winter than tame or irrigated pastures, or crop residues. These lose nutrient value once they dry up or freeze, and cattle generally need supplemental feed (hay, silage, grain or a protein supplement and mineral mix).

What is the most profitable cattle to raise?

Beef cattle are generally the most profitable and easiest livestock to raise for profit. Beef cattle simply require good pasture, supplemental hay during the winter, fresh water, vaccinations and plenty of room to roam. You can buy calves from dairy farms inexpensively to start raising beef cattle.

Can cows live on just hay?

Hay is the most commonly used winter feed for beef cattle, but it's also the most expensive. Each cow requires a daily intake of 40 pounds of round-baled hay, which amounts to $1.61 if pricing hay at $80 per ton.

What type of hay is best for beef cattle?

Mature beef cattle can get by on rather plain hay—of any type—but if lactating they will need adequate protein. Good palatable grass hay, cut while still green and growing, can be very adequate, but if grass hay is coarse and dry (with little vitamin A or protein), you'll need to add some legume hay to their diet.

How do you prevent hay waste in cattle?

Avoid placing hay near streams or lowland areas. To reduce waste, it is advised to provide only enough hay to last for one day. If large amounts of hay must be put out at one time, it is helpful to place a barrier between the hay and animals to reduce waste. Feeding racks or rings can be effective barriers.

Do cows prefer grass or hay?

The simple answer is hay. Most people are familiar the a cows diet in the summer, acres and acres of lush green grass. But what is hay? Hay is the staple forage in most cattle operations.

How cold is too cold for a cow?

The ideal temperature range for dairy cattle is 25 to 65 F, according to the University of Missouri Extension. Even at temperatures of just 68 F they can start to feel heat stress. When temperatures dip below zero, yes, cows may get cold but Organic Valley farmers take special precautions to keep cows cozy.

What to feed cows when there is no grass?

Alternative feedstuffs used to decrease the dependency on alfalfa or grass hay include harvested corn stalks, millet hay, wheat straw, sorghum-sudan, cottonseed hulls, soybean hulls, wheat middlings, and corn gluten feed.

How old is a 500 pound calf?

During this time their primary source of food is milk from their dam, and the grass or roughage (hay) that is available. At 6-9 months of age the calves are weaned off their dams and placed in a field or pen with other calves of a similar age and weight. Most calves will weigh 500-700 lbs at weaning.

How long does it take a calf to reach 500 lbs?

It will take over a year (367 days) to grow a 500-pound calf to 1,000 pounds if its average daily weight gain is 1.5 pounds per day. Some extensive forage-finishing systems may require a longer duration for calves to reach slaughter weight if forage quality and quantity restrict growth to no more than 1 pound per day.

Why is hay so expensive?

Drought currently looms heavy or already exists in many U.S. regions. This situation could improve or get worse and will ultimately have a big impact on the direction of hay prices. Historically high commodity prices also provide reason for stronger hay prices in 2021.

How long does a bale of hay last?

In general, a standard 40 lb. square bale of hay lasts one horse for about 3.5 days. But many factors such as age, workload, type of hay, and access to pasture grass affect how much they eat. I find most horses eat between 10-15 pounds of hay each day.