How big of a hay barn do I need?

Asked by: Balaji Campbell

As a general rule, square bales will need a footprint of 10 to 15 square-feet for every ton of hay and for round bales 16 to 24 square-feet will be required for every ton of hay. The barn should be wide enough to allow for the hay to be stacked with a 2-foot buffer between the edge of the haystack and the wall.

How much space do you need to store hay?

Baled hay requires approximately 250 cubic feet of storage space per ton of hay. An 1,100-pound horse eating 1.5 percent to 2.0 percent of its body weight per day in hay would eat 16.5 to 22.0 pounds per day, or in one year about 3 to 4 tons (100-120 bales of hay).

How many bales of hay are in a stack?

Each dump of hay consist of 68 bales of hay per “dump”. The bottom row is on edge consisting of 12 bales. Each row on top of that is made of 8 bales patterns.

How much hay is in a square bale?

A standard two-string square hay bale weighs between 40 and 75 pounds; a three-string square bale weighs over 100 pounds, and some as much as 140 pounds; the average round hay bale weighs about 1,250 pounds, but their weight varies greatly from 563 to 1,584 pounds.

How do you build a hay barn?

So there are several considerations that need to be made first off are you looking at a barn where you'd be loading from the side or the end I think it's one of the first considerations.

How long does a bale of hay last for one cow?

Thirty-six pounds of hay is close to one small square bale of hay per day, taking into consideration some waste. Conversely, feeding one large round bale of hay, to two or three steers or cows will last a few weeks.

Can horses eat 2 year old hay?

If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years. Keep in mind that hay, even premium forage, loses much of its vitamin content in the first few months of storage.

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.

What is the best way to stack hay in a barn?

Always stack hay with cut side down. That means the strings will always be on the side of the bale when you look at the stack. Not only does this deter mice from gnawing on the strings of the bale, it also allows moisture to run down through the stack to the bottom layer.

How many bales of hay does a horse eat per month?

A horse can eat anywhere from 15-25 pounds of hay a day, which generally equates to a half of a 45/50-pound square bale of hay per day (~15-30 bales per month).

How much hay does a 1000 pound horse need?

Hay Intake, %BW



Horses should consume 2% of their body weight in hay. For example, a mature 1,000 pound horse should consume 20 pounds of hay per day.

How much hay should a 1200 pound horse eat?

A 1,200-lb (545 kg) horse requires about 24 lb (11 kg) of hay per day to maintain body weight, so long as no work is asked of it. By weighing the hay available, the appropriate amount can be determined and fed.