Sam, Jake says about 275. The big squares don't like rain. We have many round bales outside. The rounds would be higher quality feed stored under roof as well.
That hoop is 36'x 80', bigger would be good.
These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o "May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
You must use a spear to stack them up that close to the roof?
I'd be worried about hitting something!
Yeah, that is one nice thing about rounds, they shed water much better that squares.
Hell in one stack yard/field we have plenty of room and don't even bother stacking the bales. Leave them all on the ground rowed out off the truck. Saves all kinds of time, they shed water better than in a pyramid stack and I don't have to use a tractor to unstack them. Just grab 'em with a pickup and go.
Sam, that Cat IT 28 you have seen pictures of is the stack machine. Jake does most, if not all the stacking, and moving the bales when we need to.
Around here, for fifty years, the story is, a hay shed pays for it's self the first rain.
That hoop was a "Hurry up, and Let's go", after the old 20x 80 went down under the snow load nine years ago. A plane Jane pole building would be a better buy. That tarp might not last forever?
These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o "May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
We usual only store 2nd cutting or hay we plan on selling in the barn. We get doc'd for brown bottoms, weathered looking bales, etc. Most of the hay we feed is kept outside, and there isn't much of a difference if it's a year or so old anyway.
Around here you can't stack hay with out a cover. Anywhere water collects it will rot pretty bad.
Yo Sam....I am thinking it rains once in a while in Iowa, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Over the weekend, we got an inch of rain and a foot of snow. The frost is gone, and we re supposed to get the same weather tonight. Pretty much a muddy mess.
Richard, given your rain forest climate I don't doubt it.
Some guys around here will stack the round bales so the the flat side of the bottom bale is on the ground and then they will set a bale on top with the round side resting on the flat side.
If that makes sense. Mushroom stacking...
That way the top bale will shed the rain and the bottom bale can't get iced down to the ground or to each other.
Last year we had trouble with net wrap tearing due to ice. Not a big deal with alfalfa but it becomes a real mess when you're dealing with straw or hay barley bales.
I also wonder if the type of baler and or density setting makes a difference on moisture absorption? These newer round balers make a tight bale....
I store round bales outside. We rolled some wheat last year, made good hay, but too much waste by not covering it. I won't make that mistake this year. Wheat makes excellent hay if cut at the right time, but it rots badly, so it either needs storing inside, wrapped, or covered if left outside.