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The average U.S. dry hay yield (all types) dropped from 2.52 tons per acre in 2016 to 2.44 tons per acre in 2017. For alfalfa and alfalfa-grass mixtures, the average yield declined from 3.45 tons per acre in 2016 to 3.32 tons per acre in 2017.
How many bales of hay can you get from an acre?
With an average bale weight of around 40 pounds (with our Abbriata small square baler or any of our mini round balers), that’s 100 bales to the acre for a first cutting.
How many pounds of hay do you get per acre?
120 square feet divided by 43,560 square feet per acre equals 0.0028 acres. If the amount of hay weighed 20 pounds, then 20 pounds divided by 0.0028 acres equals 7,142 pounds, or 3.5 tons per acre. Weigh hay from several different sections in the field in order to get a representative yield.
How profitable is hay farming?
He says it costs about $297 per acre to seed and prepare hay ground. “You are going to get more than three years out of that, but if we use three years, that’s about $100 per acre per year,” Brown says. “If you are getting $125 per ton for quality hay, you are going to see a profit of $51 per ton, or $204 per acre.
How much hay does a cow need?
Cows will voluntarily consume 2.0% of body weight or 24 pounds per day. The 24 pounds is based on 100% dry matter. Grass hays will often be 7 to 10% moisture. If we assume that the hay is 92% dry matter or 8% moisture, then the cows will consume about 26 pounds per day on an “as-fed basis”.
How many times a year can you cut hay?
In most areas of the country, grass hay can be cut twice, sometimes three times, per year. The first cutting generally has the largest yield. Some animals, like sheep, prefer the tender stems of second or third cutting hay.
How much hay does a cow need in the winter?
Cows will voluntarily consume 2 percent of body weight or 24 pounds per day. The 24 pounds is based on 100 percent dry matter. If we assume that the hay is 92 percent dry matter or 8 percent moisture, then the cows will consume about 26 pounds per day on an “as-fed basis.”Nov 20, 2018.
How much hay does a horse eat?
Measure feed accurately and feed consistently The average thousand-pound horse who relies on hay for all their forage typically eats fifteen to twenty pounds of hay per day. Most hay is dispensed in flakes; however, the amount of hay in a flake can vary greatly, depending on the size of the flake and the kind of hay.
How many acre is a ton of alfalfa?
The average total yield is 20-35 tons per hectare (or 8-14 tons per acre) per year (distributed in 5-6 cuts). Top yields (intensive farming) can exceed 40 tons per hectare or 16 tons per acre per year. You can enrich this article by leaving a comment or photo of your alfalfa harvesting methods and yields.
What is the most profitable crop per acre?
Bamboo is one of the most profitable crops to grow per acre. It can bring in lots of revenue, but the catch is it takes about three (3) years for the bamboo to get “established” once planted.
How much money can you make per acre of alfalfa?
Over a three-year average, alfalfa returns a profit of $98.82/acre compared to a $44.77/acre return for corn and $39.68/acre for soybeans, Miller estimated using information from Midwestern farms compiled through the FINBIN database.
Can you make money growing alfalfa?
Increased profits from alfalfa—Top dairymen know alfalfa is their most profitable crop. The high yield of high quality forage results in the greatest milk or meat production per acre of any forage. In two of those years, individual farmers pro- duced more than 10 tons of alfalfa per acre.
How long will a round bale last a cow?
One round bale lasts about 8-10 days using our regular round bale hay net with 1.75″ holes. Without a net, a bale lasts approximately 5-6 days and half of it is wasted. Once the hay hits the ground, it gets urinated and defecated on or they use it as a bed and refuse to eat it.
How many flakes of hay is 20 lbs?
When we calculated his old diet, each flake of hay averaged 5 pounds each. That was how we determined 4 flakes would reach the 2% or 20 pound feed rate.
How much hay does a 500 pound calf eat?
Typical stocking rates are 0.75 to 1.75 head per acre of 400- to 500-pound calves in the fall and winter, depending upon growth, stand, and soil fertility. This can be doubled to 1.5 to 2.5 head per acre in the spring if the wheat is grazed out.
Why do farmers leave hay bales in the field?
If they are scattered around the field the farmer is just waiting for a convenient time to pick them up and move them. If lined up along the edge of the field they are being stored there. Big round bales can handle being left outside, and even if the outside looks weathered the inside will be good for a year or longer.
How soon can you bale hay after cutting?
Proper dry matter content for chopping haylage can often be achieved within 24 hours as compared to three to four days for dry hay.
Is it OK to cut hay in the rain?
When plants are cut for hay, they do not immediately die. As long as moisture is above 40 percent, they will continue to respire – exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide – a process that burns energy. Sometimes, rain will not reduce hay quality significantly if the hay has adequate time to dry and cure prior to baling.
