Have you ever wondered about the different shapes of bales of hay? Have you ever thought about how are the round bales different from the square ones and vice versa? Or is your problem much more than curiosity?

Maybe you are a farm owner struggling to decide which type of bale to buy. And if that problem seems familiar to you, then you have come to the right place.

Here, at zeta traders, not only we will help you decide what bale is good for you, but also make sure that you get the best quality hay bales delivered from our fields to your doorstep–or rather, to your “farmstep.”

TYPES OF HAY BALES

There are two major categories of bales: round bales and square bales. Each type is made differently and has a different set of benefits to offer. Let usdive deeper to see how they are made and what are their advantages and limitations.

ROUND BALES OF HAY

Round bales are a relatively new addition to the agriculture industry. Compared to their older counterpart, round bales have been around for just 50 years or so.

HOW ARE ROUND BALES MADE?

A round baler pulls the hay inside, where it is rolled and rolled until it reaches the desired size. Afterwards, the size and shape are maintained by wrapping twine or wire around the bale. Once the wrapping is done, the bale rolls out at the other end.

ADVANTAGES OF ROUND BALES

Following are the advantages of using round bales:

• Round bales, because of their dense packaging, resist moisture. This delays the rotting process and preserves the nutritional value.
• Their tight packaging also ensures that the centre of the bale remains protected from weather’s adverse effects. It is also the reason why they can be stored outside without significant losses.
• Round bales are cost-effective if you have a large farm and more animals to feed.
• There is low wastage of hay in round bales. The only ways hay waste can occur if the bales aren’t properly stored or fed to the animal.

LIMITATIONS OF ROUND BALES

• Not using machinery to feed can result in significant wastage of hay. To minimize the loss, round bales are best fed with mechanized equipment or feeder.
• Round bales will prove to be costly if you have a small farm and fewer animals to feed.
• They require more space for storage as they are larger in size, and a lot of unwanted space is left between two consecutive round bales.

SQUARE BALES OF HAY

Square bales used to be a lot more common back in the 50s or 60s. Despite the fact that they are being rapidly replaced by the round ones, they are still popular in certain sectors.

HOW ARE SQUARE BALES MADE?

Hay is lifted into the square baler’s reel. From there, it is the job of a knife and a plunger to pack the hay. Once the hay is packed into its square form, it is bound by a twine and ejected from the bale chamber.

ADVANTAGES OF SQUARE BALES

Despite being outdated, square bales still offer certain advantages over round bales:

• Square bales are easy to handle because of their lightweight, which makes them ideal for smaller farms, especially those concerned with horses.
• The squares are easily fed, and wastage during feeding is minimum.
• Square bales take lesser space to be stored. They can be stacked as high as the ceiling, and the ladder allows.

LIMITATIONS OF SQUARE BALES

• Square bales are most susceptible to damage from moisture, especially from large square bales. That is because the hay is packed rather loosely, so the water leaks to the centre and spoil it.
• The ease in handling comes at the cost of money. Getting the square bales from the ground to the barn is an expensive and labour-intensive task. To put it in perspective, it requires 10 times more labour to move round bales.
• Unlike round bales, square bales of hay cannot be stored outside. They should always be stored under some kind of protection to avoid moisture-associated damage.

DECIDING WHICH HAY IS BEST FOR YOUR FARM

In the prior sections, we discussed the merits and demerits of round and square bales. In this one, we will summarize it to conclude which type of hay bale is best suitable for your farm.

Now, there are a lot of economic factors that have a role to play. But here is a simplified one-sided Q&A session to help you find the perfect bales for your farm’s needs.

IS IT SQUARE BALES?

Is your farm smaller? Like less than a 1000 acre?

Do you have fewer animals to feed? Just a couple of horses?

Do you lack significant manpower? Or just short on labour?

Do you have a storage facility? Like a barn or something where you can store the bales?

If the answer to all these questions is a yes, then you should go for square bales.

IS IT ROUND BALES?

A few more questions up ahead.

Is your farm larger than at least a 1000 acre?

Do you wish to store the hay for a long time?

Do you have whole livestock to feed? Bunch of cows and goats?

Do you lack a storage facility? Or do you wish to store the bales outside?

If your farm best matches this description above, then you should select the round bales.

TAKE AWAY

Choosing between the round or square bales of hay can be tricky business. Getting the best quality of either type of bales can be a lot more trickier. But luckily there is no need to worry about that anymore. With this guide’s help, all you need to do is make up your mind about the type you want, and we, Zeta traders, will do the rest;and that is serving you with the finest quality hay bales.

Done thinking yet? Give us a call and book your order right away.