`how round hay bales are formed
Large round hay bale mover. US 4348143 A. Abstract. A large round hay bale trailer having a fork lift cradle pivotally mounted on a two wheel trailer frame, the cradle being formed by pipe having 90° vertical and horizontal bends to provide fork, back support and horizontal connecting elements. Remember, it’s a myth that round hay bales that have been cut, stored, and fed properly are dangerous for horses. Rather, round bales can be a less expensive, simpler way to achieve the ideal, continuous forage feeding model. Photo by Kevin Dooley licensed via CC2.0. Large round hay bales, each of which may weigh thousands of pounds, are sometimes transported individually on a special purpose trailer having a cradle with fork elements adapted to extend under a bale and a back support. The cradle may be pivoted on a two wheel trailer frame for transport by a pick-up truck or small tractor. Here’s how. 1  Move your round bales to your storage location soon as possible after baling. 2  Put the bales in long north-south rows. 3  Butt the bales end to end.  Leave space between the rows of rolls, preferably three 1  feet. Run the rows up and down the slope, not across it, to minimize runoff blockage.  Don’t store round rolls under trees! Large round bales. The simplest system for feeding large round bales is to set the bale in the pasture or feeding area where the stock have free access to hay. This system does not require the purchase of any extra equipment for feeding, but it is prone to high feeding losses. Large round bales are usually baled at too high a moisture content; this leads to higher incidence of spoilage and higher risk of fire. If the hay wraps, around the belt rolls, moisture content is too high. Feeding a one-day supply of hay each day minimizes waste but increases labor costs. When feeding large round bales without a ring or rack, a good way to estimate how many bales to have available each day is to figure one cow per foot of outside diameter of the bale. Even then, feeding losses can be excessive. Large round bales will weigh 500 to 3,000 pounds with dimensions varying with the baler manufacturer and model. Usually the bales are 5 to 7 feet long and 5 to 7 feet in diameter. Bale weight depends not only on dimensions but also on the type and quality of hay baled. Properly made and stored, large round bales are weather-resistant and suffer a minimum loss of quality. Move your round bales to your storage location soon as possible after baling. Thatch formation is a what helps keep moisture out. Once thatch is formed, moving the bale disrupts the thatch, requiring its reformation to keep out moisture. More good hay is required to replace it. Put the bales in long north-south rows. For optimal nutrition, grass hay should be cut and baled when grasses are immature, just before developing a head. All hay should be baled with a moisture content of 15% or less. In round bales, grasses are better than legumes, because legumes have a looser thatch which allows more moisture to penetrate the bale.
A large round hay bale trailer having a fork lift cradle pivotally mounted on a two wheel trailer frame, the cradle being formed by pipe having 90° vertical and horizontal bends to provide fork, back support and horizontal connecting elements.