Hay & Livestock
How Much Does a Hay Bale Weigh (Small Square and Round)
Small square bales usually weigh 40 to 60 pounds and round bales 500 to 1,600 pounds. Learn why weights vary, how to estimate them, and what your tractor and truck can handle.
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A small square bale of hay usually weighs 40 to 60 pounds. A round bale weighs about 500 to 1,600 pounds, depending on its size and how tight it was baled. So how much does a hay bale weigh in your barn?
Size sets the range, and density, moisture and hay type move the number inside it. The “1,200 pound bale” people quote is a 5×5 round bale packed hard, not a standard. The same bale rolled loose can come in under 900.
Even experienced hay people guess wrong by about 100 pounds. This guide gives you the ranges and the math to estimate your own bales. It also covers what those weights mean for your loader, your truck and your feed bill.
The short version
- 2 string small squares: 40 to 60 pounds. 3 string bales are bigger and often run 70 to 100 pounds or more.
- Round bales: a 4×4 is around 500 to 600 pounds and a 4×5 around 700 to 900. A 5×5 runs 900 to 1,200 and a 5×6 about 1,400 to 1,600.
- Estimate weight as volume times density (9 to 12 pounds per cubic foot). Only a scale gives the real number.
- Most sub compact loaders cannot safely lift a round bale. Check the rating 500 mm forward of the pivot pin, not at the pin.
- Compare hay by price per ton, never by price per bale.
How much does a hay bale weigh? Small square bales first
A 2 string small square bale weighs 40 to 60 pounds, or a bit over 70 for dense alfalfa. A 3 string bale is a bigger package and usually lands between 70 and 100 pounds. Packed alfalfa can run past that.
2 string vs 3 string bales
The string count tells you the baler, and the baler sets the size. Two tie balers like the John Deere 348 and Massey Ferguson 1840 make a 14 by 18 inch bale. Length adjusts from about 12 to 52 inches, and most sellers run them near 3 feet.
Three tie balers make a wider bale, about 15 or 16 inches by 22, and usually a longer one. That extra volume is the whole weight difference. Published weights still disagree, from 60 to 140 pounds, so weigh a few from any new supplier.
| Small square type | Typical cross section | Common weight range |
|---|---|---|
| 2 string (two tie) | 14 x 18 inches, about 3 feet long | 40 to 60 pounds, 70 or more for dense alfalfa |
| 3 string (three tie) | 15 or 16 x 22 inches, longer | 70 to 100 pounds, sometimes up to 140 |
The 2 string bale is the one hobby farms handle by hand. A 3 string bale is a two person lift for most people. Plan on an elevator or a loader.
How much does a round bale of hay weigh?
A round bale weighs anywhere from about 500 pounds for a 4×4 to about 1,600 pounds for a 5×6. Round bales are named by width times diameter in feet. A 4×5 is 4 feet wide and 5 feet across.
Extension specialists in Texas and Florida both publish size tables. Their numbers differ because each starts from a different baseline density. The gap between them is a fair picture of normal variation.
| Round bale size | Florida extension estimate | Texas extension estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 4×4 | 512 pounds | 563 pounds |
| 4×5 | 800 pounds | 880 pounds |
| 4×6 | 1,153 pounds | 1,267 pounds |
| 5×5 | 1,000 pounds | 1,100 pounds |
| 5×6 | 1,441 pounds | 1,584 pounds |
Both tables assume every bale is as dense as a 5×5 weighing 1,000 or 1,100 pounds. They show the size effect well. They do not predict what your neighbor’s baler makes.
Owners who have weighed bales report lower numbers. One trailer of 4×5 bales scaled at just over 700 pounds each, and others put a dry 4×5 near 850. A 4×5 near 1,000 has to be very tight and baled dry.
Where the 1,200 pound figure comes from
Ask “how much does a hay bale weigh” at a feed store and someone will say 1,200 pounds. That is a 5×5 round bale at high density, which holds about 98 cubic feet. At 12 pounds of dry matter per cubic foot that is roughly 1,176 pounds.
Round it up and you get 1,200. It stuck because 5×5 is a common size and 12 pounds per cubic foot is about as tight as a bale gets.
A looser 5×5 at 9 pounds per cubic foot is closer to 880 pounds. That is a 300 pound spread on one bale size.
Why do hay bale weights vary so much?
Bale weights vary because density, moisture, hay type and storage all change how much hay fills the same space. Two bales of identical size can differ by hundreds of pounds.
Density and baler settings
Balers have tension settings, and the operator decides how tight the bale gets. Newer balers also tend to pack tighter than older ones. If you buy from a different baler each year, expect different bale weights.
Moisture
Wetter hay weighs more, then heats and loses weight in storage. Kentucky extension guidance says hay baled at 15 to 20 percent moisture heats enough to lose 4 to 5 percent of its dry matter. Stored hay also loses about 1 percent of its weight for each point of moisture it gives up.
So a bale that went in at 20 percent and dried to 14 percent is about 6 percent lighter. That is why a bale you weighed in July is lighter in February. For round bales, 18 percent moisture or less is the usual target.
Grass, alfalfa and straw
Alfalfa packs denser than bermudagrass, and bermudagrass packs denser than wheat straw. Mature, stemmy plants pack looser than young leafy ones. So a 5×5 of leafy alfalfa outweighs a 5×5 of grass hay, and straw weighs less than either.
Ask what is in the bale before you assume a weight. Timothy, orchardgrass, bermudagrass and mixed hay all bale a little differently.
Wrapped baleage
Baleage is hay baled wet and wrapped in plastic, so it weighs far more than dry hay. One Florida operation reported wrapped 4.5×4 bales at 1,800 to 2,000 pounds. Dry hay tables are useless for it, so ask a baleage seller for a scale ticket.
How to estimate a hay bale’s weight without a scale
Estimate bale weight by multiplying volume in cubic feet by density in pounds per cubic foot. Extension services in Pennsylvania, Missouri and Texas all teach this method. It answers “how much does a hay bale weigh” for small squares and round bales alike.
- Measure the bale in feet. For a round bale, measure width and diameter. For a square bale, measure length, width and height.
- Find the volume. For a round bale, halve the diameter, square it, multiply by 3.14, then multiply by the width. For a square bale, multiply length by width by height.
- Pick a density by feel: 9 pounds per cubic foot for a loose bale, 10 for a bit firmer. Use 11 for a solid bale a spear still dents. Use 12 if the spear barely goes in.
- Multiply volume by density. The result is the estimated dry matter weight.
Worked example
A 4×5 round bale is 4 feet wide and 5 feet across. Half the diameter is 2.5, squared is 6.25, and times 3.14 is 19.6. Times 4 feet of width gives about 79 cubic feet.
At 10 pounds per cubic foot that is about 790 pounds. At 12 it is about 940.
A 2 string bale at 14 by 18 by 36 inches is 5.25 cubic feet. That comes to about 47 pounds at 9 and 63 at 12.
Adjust for moisture
Those density figures describe dry matter, so a scale will read higher. Divide the dry matter weight by 1 minus the moisture. A 790 pound dry matter bale at 15 percent moisture works out to about 930 pounds on the scale.
Estimates are still guesses. In a Wisconsin Extension study of 80 bale trials, farmers and experts alike missed by about 100 pounds. Buyers guessed low and sellers guessed high.
How to actually weigh bales
Use a truck scale. Weigh the loaded truck or trailer, unload, weigh it empty, and divide the difference by the bale count. Many feed mills, grain elevators and gravel yards have a public scale, so ask around.
How many hay bales are in a ton?
There are 40 bales in a ton when each bale weighs 50 pounds. A ton is 2,000 pounds, so divide 2,000 by your average bale weight for your own count.
| Average bale weight | Bales per ton |
|---|---|
| 40 pounds | 50 |
| 50 pounds | 40 |
| 60 pounds | about 33 |
| 75 pounds | about 27 |
| 800 pound round bale | 2.5 |
| 1,000 pound round bale | 2 |
Buying hay by the bale vs by the ton
Ask the seller how much does a hay bale weigh before you agree on a price. Buy by the ton whenever you can, because a price per bale hides how much hay you get. Texas A&M shows the gap at $50 a bale.
A 563 pound 4×4 costs $177.56 per ton, and a 1,584 pound 5×6 costs $63.13. Many small producers still sell by the bale.
If a seller will not sell by weight, weigh a sample of 10 bales and average them. Then work out your own price per ton and compare it with anyone else’s hay.
Can a compact tractor lift a round bale?
A compact tractor can lift a round bale only if the loader or 3 point hitch is rated well above the bale’s weight. Many sub compact loaders are not. Loader ratings come in two forms.
One is at the pivot pin, which is the best case. The other is 500 mm (about 20 inches) forward of the pin. That second number is closer to where a bale actually hangs.
Kubota’s own BX series brochure shows the problem. The BX2380’s LA344 loader is rated 739 pounds at the pivot pin and 509 pounds at 500 mm forward. The whole tractor weighs 1,443 pounds with a ROPS.
Even a light 4×5 at 700 to 850 pounds is beyond that loader. Owners put a bolt on spear at about 100 pounds more. If you run a tractor in that class, our Kubota BX2380 guide covers what it is built for.
Loader or 3 point hitch
Owners with loaders rated near 1,100 pounds do stack 4×5 bales, with a heavy implement or loaded tires behind. Others say a 3 point bale spear is the safer choice on a smaller machine, with ballast up front.
A 3 point rating is usually quoted 24 inches behind the lift points. The BX2380 lists just 680 pounds there.
Both methods change how the tractor balances. A front load pushes weight onto the front axle and lightens the rear. A rear load does the opposite, and lifting it too high leaves the steering vague.
Rear ballast and the safety margin
Use the lowest rating you can find, then stay well under it. Ratings describe a level surface and a load that is not swinging.
Do not calculate a safe bale weight by taking a fixed percentage of a loader rating. Use the load chart and approved bale attachment for the actual load center and lift height. Confirm the required ballast and tractor configuration before handling a bale.
Use the rear ballast configuration specified for that tractor and loader. Filled tires and wheel weights do not automatically replace required hitch ballast. Our ballast worksheet subtracts qualifying fitted weight from a requirement you already obtained from the manual.
If you are shopping for a machine to handle bales, start with what size tractor you need. Then compare the sub compact tractors worth buying against the weights above.
Safety rules for moving round bales
Remove the bucket and use a spear or grapple built for bales. A bucket lets the bale roll back on you. Go slow and keep the load low, since a raised loader invites a side rollover.
A ROPS protects you in a rollover. It is generally not built to stop a falling bale, so never try to catch one. Penn State publishes a plain language bale moving guide worth reading before your first season.
How many hay bales can a pickup or trailer carry?
A pickup carries as many bales as its payload allows. Payload is lower than most people assume. Ford defines it as the combined weight of cargo and passengers.
Find it on the tire and loading label in the driver’s door jamb. Trailer tongue weight counts against it too.
A truck with 1,800 pounds of payload and a 200 pound driver has 1,600 pounds left. At 50 pounds per bale that is a ceiling of 32 bales. Swap in 100 pound 3 string bales and it drops to 16.
Round bales hit the limit fast. Two 1,000 pound bales is 2,000 pounds, more than many half ton trucks are rated for. One owner reports fitting two 600 pound small rounds in a 3/4 ton bed.
Choose securement by its labeled working load limit, not its breaking or tensile strength. Follow the rules applicable to your vehicle and trip. FMCSA’s cargo securement rules apply to covered commercial transport; state rules and agricultural exemptions need a separate check.
Width, height and permit rules vary by state. Round bales loaded side by side can exceed legal width. A permit may apply if you haul bales for sale, so check with your state DOT first.
How long does a round bale last for horses or cattle?
A round bale lasts a few horses or cows roughly one to three weeks, depending on bale weight, feeder and waste. The math is bale weight, minus waste, divided by daily intake.
University of Minnesota research found horses at round bale feeders ate 2.0 to 2.4 percent of body weight daily. Without a feeder they ate just 1.3 percent and wasted 57 percent of the hay. Feeders cut waste to 5 to 33 percent, with restricted access designs at the low end.
Beef cows are often figured at 2 percent too: a 1,300 pound cow eats about 26 pounds a day. Florida extension adds 10 percent storage loss and 5 percent feeding loss on top. Storage loss alone runs from 5 percent in a barn to 29 percent on bare ground.
Worked examples
- Feed two 1,100 pound horses at 2 percent, which is 44 pounds per day. A 1,000 pound bale in a feeder with 15 percent waste leaves 850 pounds, which lasts about 19 days.
- Feed five 1,300 pound cows at 2 percent, which is 130 pounds per day. A 1,200 pound bale with 15 percent waste leaves 1,020 pounds, which lasts about 8 days.
Owners report shorter spans. Two horses on a 4×5 often get about 10 days. Three horses can empty a 1,000 pound bale in 10 winter days, since cold raises intake and a light bale shortens everything.
For more on hay and livestock work, browse our land, hay and livestock projects.
Common mistakes with hay bale weights
- Assuming every 5×5 is 1,200 pounds. It can be closer to 880 depending on density and moisture.
- Paying per bale without a weight. A price per bale only makes sense once you know the pounds.
- Reading the pivot pin rating. The real limit is lower 500 mm forward, where the bale sits, and the spear adds about 100 pounds.
- Counting the whole payload for hay. People and tongue weight come off the number first.
Bottom line
Expect 40 to 60 pounds for a 2 string square and 500 to 1,600 pounds for a round bale. A 5×5 most often lands between 900 and 1,200.
Weigh a sample and price hay by the ton. Match your tractor and truck to the heaviest bale you will actually buy.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 4×5 round bale weigh?
Extension tables put a 4×5 round bale at 800 to 880 pounds. Owners who have weighed them report just over 700 to about 850 pounds. A very tight bale of dense hay can go past that, but it is uncommon.
How much does a 5×6 round bale weigh?
A 5×6 round bale weighs about 1,400 to 1,600 pounds in the extension tables. That is about 44 percent more hay than a 5×5 of the same density. Dense alfalfa or wet hay can push it higher.
How much does a straw bale weigh compared with hay?
A straw bale is lighter than a hay bale of the same size, because straw packs less densely. Extension guidance ranks alfalfa as denser than bermudagrass, and bermudagrass as denser than wheat straw. Weigh a few if you need a real figure.
Is it cheaper to buy hay by the bale or by the ton?
Buying by the ton is almost always the clearer deal, because bale weights vary so much. A $50 bale can mean $63 per ton or $177 per ton depending on its weight. If you must buy by the bale, weigh a sample first.
Does hay lose weight in storage?
Yes, hay baled wet gives up moisture and some dry matter as it settles. Kentucky guidance puts the loss near 1 percent for each point of moisture that leaves. Bales stored outside lose more to weather.
Can I move round bales with a sub compact tractor?
Usually not safely, since a loader like the BX2380’s is rated 509 pounds at 500 mm forward. Even a light 4×5 weighs 700 or more before the spear. Look through the Hay & Livestock guides for a better match, or stick to small squares.
