It's amazing how many cartridges are sold per pack/roll rather than by weight. This approach is almost always a disadvantage.
I remember a project in Wisconsin a few years ago that involved several workers going to a farm to weigh large bales on a portable scale. Before actual bale weights were obtained, agents and bale owners estimated the average weight of the three bales weighed at each farm.
In general both agents and farmers weighed less than 100 pounds, sometimes more and sometimes less than the actual average bale weight. Communicators point out that there are big differences not only between farms, but also between bales of the same size from different farms.
When I was a promotional agent, I helped coordinate an auction of proven quality hay every month. I will sum up the results of the auction and post them on the Internet.
Some vendors prefer to sell hay in bales rather than tons. This always means that I have to estimate the weight of the bale and convert it to a price per ton, because that is how the results are reported.
At first I was afraid to do this, because I did not always trust the accuracy of my guesses, so I always asked some farmers what they thought. As you might expect, the discrepancies between the people I interview tend to be large, so I have to guess which estimate is closest. Sellers sometimes tell me that most people underestimate the weight of a bale, so they like to sell in bales whenever possible.
Intuitively, the size of the bale affects the weight of the bale, but what can be overlooked is the degree of change that occurs when the bale becomes only 1 foot wider or increases in diameter by 1 foot. The latter are the most varied.
A 4' wide, 5' diameter (4x5) bale makes up 80% of the volume of a 5x5 bale (see table). However, a 5x4 bale is only 64% the volume of a 5x5 bale. These percentages are also converted into a difference in weight, other things being equal.
The density of the bale also plays a significant role in the final weight of the bale. Typically 9 to 12 pounds per cubic foot. In a 5x5 bale, the difference between 10 and 11 pounds per square foot of dry matter at 10% and 15% moisture levels is over 100 pounds per bale. When buying multi-ton lots, a 10% reduction in the weight of each parcel can lead to significant losses.
Forage moisture also affects bale weight, but to a lesser extent than bale density, unless the bale is too dry or damp. For example, the moisture content of packed bales can vary from 30% to over 60%. When purchasing bales, it is always a good idea to weigh the bales or have them tested for moisture.
The time of purchase affects bale weight in two ways. First, if you buy bales off site, they may have a higher moisture content and weight than when stored in a warehouse. Buyers also naturally experience storage dry matter loss if bales are purchased immediately after pressing. Studies have well documented that storage losses can range from less than 5% to over 50%, depending on the storage method.
The type of feed also affects the weight of the bale. Straw bales tend to be lighter in weight than similarly sized bean bales. This is because legumes like alfalfa have denser bales than grasses. In the Wisconsin study mentioned earlier, the average weight of 4x5 bean bales was 986 pounds. By comparison, a bale of the same size weighs 846 pounds.
Plant maturity is another factor influencing bale density and final bale weight. Leaves are usually better packed than stems, so as plants mature and a higher stem-to-leaf ratio develops, bales tend to become less dense and weigh less.
Finally, there are many models of balers of different ages. This variation, combined with the experience of the operator, makes further changes to the discussion of bale density and weight. The new machines are capable of producing tighter bales than most older machines.
Given the number of variables that determine the actual weight of a bale, guessing whether to buy or sell large round bales based on weight can result in trades above or below market value. This can be very expensive for the buyer or seller, especially when buying a large number of tons over a period of time.
Weighing round bales may not be as convenient as not weighing, but in rare cases the weight of the bale cannot be reached. Whenever you make a trade, take the time to weigh the bale (in whole or in part).
Post time: Aug-14-2023