How much hay do you really need to buy? Use this guide to budget daily amounts by animal, convert to bales, and plan a full winter feeding season with a safety margin.
1. Daily Hay Needs by Animal
| Animal | Typical Weight | % Body Weight/Day | Hay Per Day | Hay Per Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horse (average) | 1,000 lbs | 1.5–2.5% | 15–25 lbs | 450–750 lbs |
| Beef cow (dry) | 1,200 lbs | 2–2.5% | 24–30 lbs | 720–900 lbs |
| Beef cow (lactating) | 1,200 lbs | 2.5–3% | 30–36 lbs | 900–1,080 lbs |
| Dairy cow | 1,400 lbs | 3–4% | 40–55 lbs | 1,200–1,650 lbs |
| Goat (adult) | 125 lbs | 3–4% | 4–5 lbs | 120–150 lbs |
| Dairy goat (milking) | 135 lbs | 4–5% | 5–7 lbs | 150–210 lbs |
| Sheep (ewe) | 150 lbs | 2–4% | 3–6 lbs | 90–180 lbs |
| Alpaca | 150 lbs | 1.5–2% | 2.5–3 lbs | 75–90 lbs |
| Rabbit (adult) | 8 lbs | unlimited grass hay | ~0.5 lb | ~15 lbs |
Amounts assume hay is the primary forage (no pasture). Reduce proportionally when animals graze. Always weigh a few flakes — flake size varies wildly between bales.
2. Bale Math
| Bale Type | Typical Weight | Feeds 1 Horse (20 lbs/day) | Feeds 2 Goats (10 lbs/day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small square (2-string) | 40–60 lbs | 2–3 days | 4–6 days |
| Small square (3-string) | 90–110 lbs | 4–5 days | 9–11 days |
| Round bale (4×4) | 500–700 lbs | 25–35 days* | 50–70 days* |
| Round bale (5×6) | 1,000–1,500 lbs | 50–75 days* | 100+ days* |
| Large square (3×3×8) | 700–900 lbs | 35–45 days* | 70–90 days* |
* Before waste. Unprotected round bales fed on the ground can lose 25–40% to trampling and weather. A bale feeder or net cuts waste to 5–15%.
3. Winter Hay Budget (180-Day Feeding Season)
| Your Herd | Total Winter Hay | Small Squares (50 lb) | Round Bales (1,000 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 horse | ~3,600 lbs (1.8 tons) | 72 | 4 |
| 2 beef cows | ~9,700 lbs (4.9 tons) | 195 | 10 |
| 4 goats | ~3,200 lbs (1.6 tons) | 65 | 4 |
| 6 sheep | ~4,900 lbs (2.4 tons) | 98 | 5 |
| Mixed: 1 horse + 3 goats + 4 sheep | ~9,900 lbs (5 tons) | 198 | 10 |
Includes ~10% waste buffer. Buy 10–20% extra — a late spring is cheaper to insure against in September than to fix in March.
4. Hay Quality & Storage
🌿 Judging Quality
Green color, sweet smell, fine stems, leafy texture. Reject musty, dusty, brown, or weed-heavy bales. Second cutting is usually softer and richer than first.
🐐 Match Hay to Animal
Grass hay (timothy, orchard, brome) suits most animals. Alfalfa (high protein & calcium) is for milkers and growing stock — too rich as sole feed for dry does or geldings.
🏠 Storage Rules
Off the ground on pallets, under cover, with airflow. Properly stored hay keeps 1–2 years with modest nutrient loss; ground-stored round bales can lose a third.
🔥 Fire Safety
Never barn-stack hay above 20% moisture — fermenting wet hay self-heats and can ignite. New bales: monitor for heat the first 6 weeks.