The Problem Index → Stock
How much hay do I need to put up for winter?
Figure 2.5% of body weight a day as dry matter, then add the waste nobody budgets for. And then there's the part that burns barns down.
What actually works
◆ Proven
The hay moisture probe
Above roughly 20% moisture, hay self-heats. 150°F means check twice a day; 175°F and climbing means get it apart. A $50–150 probe against a barn.
$50–150◆ Proven
A ring feeder pays for itself in one winter
Rolled out on the ground, waste runs 25–45%. In a good ring feeder, 5–15%. That difference is tons.
◆ Proven
A $20–30 hay test
Quality varies enormously. Testing tells you whether you need to supplement; guessing costs more than the test.
Run the numbers
- Winter hay needs → — free calculator, works offline.
- Livestock water demand → — free calculator, works offline.
Also searched as
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