BaleMath Feed & hay planning that pencils out
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Measurements

Currency changes notation only; entered amounts are not converted.

Round vs. square bale cost

Round bales or square bales — which actually costs less?

Compare the total seasonal purchase cost of round and square hay bales using your quotes, bale weights, hay dry matter and loss estimates. See how whole-bale rounding changes the purchase.

Both options use the entered storage-loss percentage and the same required hay dry matter. Equal dry matter does not establish equal nutritional value.

Your animals

Hay inventory estimate from your entered allocation. Animal class, production stage, work, forage quality and weather can change needs. This tool does not balance energy, protein or minerals.

Your winter
Square bale option
Round bale option

Results update automatically. View results

Calculator fields, results, copied summaries, and printouts follow your unit and currency settings. Currency changes notation only; entered amounts are not converted. The worked example below stays in metric units and USD.

Square bale season
— bales
Total cost
—
Effective / ton
—
Round bale season
— bales
Total cost
—
Effective / ton
—

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Worked example: compare two hay offers

Illustrative inputs, not a feeding or price recommendation: 1 horse at 500 kg, an entered hay dry-matter allocation of 2% of body weight per day, 120 days and 5% storage loss for both options. Square: 25 kg bales at USD 8 each, 90% hay dry matter and 10% feeding loss. Round: 400 kg bales at USD 80 each, 85% hay dry matter and 15% feeding loss. Prices are hypothetical; use the same currency for both quotes.

StepCalculationResult
Seasonal hay dry matter1 × 500 kg × 2% × 1201,200 kg DM
Incoming hay: square1,200 kg DM ÷ 0.90 ÷ 0.90 ÷ 0.951,559.45 kg
Incoming hay: round1,200 kg DM ÷ 0.85 ÷ 0.85 ÷ 0.951,748.32 kg
Square purchase and cost1,559.45 kg ÷ 25 kg; round up63 bales × USD 8 = USD 504
Round purchase and cost1,748.32 kg ÷ 400 kg; round up5 bales × USD 80 = USD 400
Season-cost differenceUSD 504 − USD 400USD 104 saved with round

Here, square bales total USD 504 and round bales USD 400. Each option is rounded up separately to whole bales. Different quotes, losses or bale weights can change which costs less. Intermediate results are rounded for display; calculations use full precision.

This is a BaleMath arithmetic example, not a published feeding plan or market-price survey. Extension Horses distinguishes forage from total ration; Mississippi State Extension explains storage conditions and losses. These sources do not prescribe the example inputs. See About & sources for the method and references.

How this calculator works

Choose a hay allocation from an existing ration, or estimate the hay dry-matter allocation as a percentage of body weight. Enter only the hay portion, not total diet intake. Each group must have an allocation appropriate to its animal class and production stage. The calculator neither selects an allocation nor checks nutritional adequacy. There is no automatic grain subtraction or cold-weather multiplier.

Dry matter is the part of hay remaining after water is excluded. Use a forage analysis where available, identify whether the dry-matter value is measured or estimated, and weigh several representative bales. The allocation is multiplied by animal count and days. Dividing that seasonal dry matter by the entered hay dry-matter fraction gives the consumed hay equivalent.

Feeding loss is a share of hay offered; storage loss is a share of incoming hay. To work backwards to a purchase, divide the consumed equivalent by the fraction retained after feeding, then by the fraction retained after storage. Enter losses for your feeding arrangement, hay lot and storage period. A percentage from a different animal species, feeder design or storage duration is not automatically applicable.

Round each option up separately to whole bales, then multiply by its price per bale. The ledger reconciles consumed hay, feeding loss, storage loss and rounding surplus at that option’s entered dry matter. It does not predict moisture changes, selective nutrient loss or whether weathered hay remains suitable. Already-stored or mixed hay lots need separate assessment.

Compare the same required hay dry matter using each option’s entered dry matter, feeding loss, bale weight and quote. Both options use the same entered storage-loss percentage. Cost per unit of required hay dry matter includes whole-bale rounding; equal dry matter does not mean equal energy, protein or feeding value.

Body-weight percentages depend on animal class and diet: Extension Horses distinguishes forage from the total ration; Nebraska Extension describes goat intake on a dry-matter basis. Mississippi State Extension explains the dependence of storage losses on conditions and duration. These sources support the distinctions above, not endorsement of every entered scenario. See About & sources for the full source record.

Compare quotes with the price converter, check the storage space, or build a cattle hay plan.

Frequently asked questions

Are round bales or square bales cheaper?

Neither is always cheaper. For example, 63 square bales at USD 8 cost USD 504; five round bales at USD 80 cost USD 400: USD 104 less, provided both purchases meet the same hay requirement.

How many square bales equal one round bale?

A 400 kg round bale equals 16 square bales of 25 kg by weight. This does not account for dry matter, losses or nutritional value. Use each lot’s actual bale weight.

How should I enter feeding loss?

Enter the share of offered hay lost during feeding for each option. For example, 10% loss means 90% retained. Use conditions matching your animals and feeding setup; the example’s rates are illustrative.

Plan the rest of the barn

BaleMath is free to use. Numbers are planning estimates, not veterinary or nutritional advice.