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How many horses will a round bale feed?

How many horses will a round bale feed?

A round bale should be fed within 7 to 10 days, therefore four to seven horses are ideal per round bale. Depending on the number of horses being fed, you may see either wasted hay with lower numbers or overcrowding around the feeder with larger numbers.

Are hay bales good for horses?

But it’s a myth that horses should never be fed round hay bales. In truth, properly stored and handled round bales are perfectly safe for horses and may actually be a smart addition in many feed management situations.

How much is a bale of hay for horses?

The Price of Hay Bales By Weight

Hay Quality Bale Type Maximum Price per Ton
Prime Large Square $280
Large Round $275
Grade 1 Small Square $290
Large Square $275

How many bales do horses need?

If you buy your hay by the ton, this would be 3915/2000 = almost 2 tons of hay per horse. If you buy your hay by the bale, you will need to find out the approximate weight of each bale. Assuming a 40 lb bale, 3915/40 = 98 bales per horse.

How long will a bale of hay last a horse?

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.

How long should a round bale last 2 horses?

Obviously, a bale will last much longer with 2 horses than with 20. Most owners with 2 or 3 horses get 7-14 more days out of a bale with a 1.75″ hole. For example, this time lapse video shows one bale being eaten by 3 horses over a period of 22 days.

How long does it take 2 horses to eat a round bale?

It takes two of mine anywhere from a week to two weeks to go through one round bale depending on how cold it is, how tightly packed the bale is, how much of it they manage to turn into bedding etc… so it really depends.

Can you leave hay out for horses?

At night, you can leave hay in the racks or nets. This way, horses could eat some of it as their digestive systems demand. When you do not let your horses walk around without any forage, you are helping their digestive systems perform well.

Can a horse live on hay alone?

So to answer your question, yes, a horse can live on just hay and be perfectly healthy.

Why do horses put their hay in water?

By wetting his hay before he eats it, he reduces the forage’s scratchiness, making it more like grass again – the better to slide down a sore or inflamed throat. Soaking the hay also douses excess dust, which may bother a horse with heaves or other respiratory distress.

Do horses need hay if they have grass?

Many pleasure and trail horses don’t need grain: good-quality hay or pasture is sufficient. If hay isn’t enough, grain can be added, but the bulk of a horse’s calories should always come from roughage. Horses are meant to eat roughage, and their digestive system is designed to use the nutrition in grassy stalks.

Which is better round bales or square bales for horses?

When baled and stored properly, round bales are no more prone to growing bacteria or mold than square bales. If you decide to feed round bales to your horses, be sure to purchase them from a reputable dealer who has cut and stored the hay properly.

Why do horses not eat round bales of hay?

This study shows that horses eating round bales not placed in a feeder may have trouble meeting their energy requirements even when hay is present, because of contamination and waste. Elevate round bales on a gravel surface or wood pallet to allow moisture to drain underneath both where they are fed and stored.

What’s the best way to store round bales?

Hay tarps are treated to be waterproof, UV resistant, mildew resistant, and rot proof. Store round bales end to end with flat sides touching. Avoid storing bales under trees, in order to reduce exposure to moisture. Levels of vitamins and other nutrients in forage decrease significantly during harvesting and storage.

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Ruth Doyle