How Many Bales of Hay Can You Produce Per Acre?

A common question you might ask as a grower preparing for your first hay crop is how many bales of hay you can produce on your acre of land.

Whether you want to produce quality hay to feed your own livestock or produce hay to sell, planning for the amount of hay you can produce can help you budget for the equipment you need to make it happen.

How Many Bales of Hay Per Acre

On average, you can expect to produce 5 - 200 bales of hay per acre, which varies based on the type of hay bales you produce (round hay bales per acre or square hay bales per acre) and a number of other factors, explained below.

The key factors that influence how many round bales of hay per acre and how many square bales of hay per acre you can produce are as follows:

1. Size and Weight of a Bale of Hay

   One round bale equals about 20 square bales of hay, but the average weight and bale size varies from one bale to the next, so the number of hay bales you can produce from one acre depends on how large each bale of hay is.

2. Type of Hay You Use

   Keeping Pet explains how many round bales of hay per acre you can expect by the type of grass hay you produce:

   • Orchard Grass: 1 - 3 bales of hay
   • Fescue Hay: 2 - 4
   • Triticale Hay: 2 - 4
   • Bermudagrass: 3 - 4
   • Timothy Hay: 5 - 6
   • Alfalfa Hay: Up to 6

   If there are about 20 square bales in one round bale of hay, we can use Keeping Pet’s grass table above and calculate new averages for how many square bales of hay you can expect to produce by grass type.

   • Orchard Grass: 20 - 60 bales of hay
   • Fescue Hay: 40 - 80
   • Triticale Hay: 40 - 80
   • Bermudagrass: 60 - 80
   • Timothy Hay: 100 - 120
   • Alfalfa Hay: Up to 120
3. How You Fertilize the Soil

   The fertilizer you use can increase the hay yield by tons of hay per year. It also keeps grass growing for a longer period of time, which is part of the reason why it can yield so much more.

   This impacts how much grass you have to bale per acre.

4. Weather Conditions Based on Location

   Weather conditions based on where you are located and your region’s growing season can impact your hay field and average yield for the year. That hay yield can impact the total number of bales per acre that can be produced.

5. When You Cut

   According to Yard and Garden Guru, hay cuttings have three cycles. The first cut consists of the most fiber and includes hay flowers. The second cut has more protein and is easier to cut than the first. The third cut is the thickest and has fewer stems.

   The size of hay bale you can produce will depend on the hay quality you are able to cut and how thick it ends up being.

With those key factors in mind, keep reading to see how many bales of hay per acre you can expect to produce if you are making round bales vs. square bales.

How Many Round Bales of Hay Per Acre

You can expect to produce 5 - 10 round bales of hay per acre, depending on the key factors mentioned above.

Round bales of hay are helpful if the hay bales are kept outside. Rain can more easily run off the hay bales if they’re round.

How Many Square Bales of Hay Per Acre

You can expect to produce anywhere from about 50 - 200 small square bales of hay per acre, depending on the key factors mentioned previously.

Small square bales of hay are helpful if you will be transporting the hay from one place to another or storing them inside a barn because they are easier to stack.

Where Can I Get the Equipment I Need?

Fastline is your one-stop source for all things farm equipment. You can find farm equipment near you to help with hay production.

There are two important pieces of farm equipment you’ll need to bale hay:

• A tractor. We have a number of tractors for sale across the United States. You’ll want a tractor that can pull the hay baler and help lift and move the hay bales after production. Learn more about the type of tractors to consider for small farms and how much tractors cost.

  Once you know which tractor you want to buy, find a tractor near you.

• A hay baler. You can find both square hay balers or round hay balers at a Fastline local dealer or manufacturer near you.

Some additional equipment you may need for hay production include:

• A tedder. This is used to fluff the hay and make it ready for baling.

• A hay rake. This is used to pull the hay into the windrows to get ready for baling.

You can find tedders and rakes listed here.