Large Square Bales

[RU2U]

I wondered who feeds the really big square bales. Wondered how you feed them if you pull off flakes or free choice and what kind of feeder you use.

We found really great hay at a great price. So that is what we are feeding this year. I like the no muss, no fuss load it in with a tractor concept. So wondered who else was doing it.

[horsetales]

We use either round or square - best quality and price wins. The farmer who leases our extra land has some great quality squares and he offered us a deal too good not to jump at. The previous year he only had cattle quality, so we used round. We take off 3-5 flakes and strap them together and use our bale spike to load into the round bale feeder. For the smaller amounts I just break a flake(s) apart and move it to the field with my lawn tractor cart. I love the squares.

[Cielo Azure]

They flake just like a small sq bale, just much larger. They are actually very easy to feed. The flakes are about 4 inches in thickness and weight about 20 pounds (type of hay dependent). They can be bent in half or ripped in half for half flakes. I put the flakes in a wheel barrow or use the tractor or a trailer/ATV set-up.

Alfalfa worked great. I once got rye in that form and it was a disaster though. The flakes didn't hold and it got everywhere.

We do not free feed any hay.

We generally don't move them once they are in our barn.

[SLW]

I have purchased Alfalfa hay in those 4' by 8' bales and fed them with no problem. Like Cielo mentioned, they flake off easy peasey.