# 4x5 round bales



## Flacer22 (Oct 31, 2009)

Silly question but wondering what a 4x5 round bale weighs??? Tons of variables I know but what do your bales weigh???

I've never taken the time to hual mine somewhere and have them weighed kinda wish I had the time to do it so I could more accurately figure out my tonnage.

I bale with a John Deere 459 and normally shot for a 58in bale. Soild core grass mix Hay with mostly orchard Grass and some alfalfa and clover. I've always assumed around 850 to 900lbs bales.

What's everyone else seeing??


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I used to set my balers pressure to make a 850lb bale. Now I cranked it higher to make closer to a 900lb bale. I shoot for 16-18% moisture for grass hay.
I think your probably on the upper side of the weight range. Based on what I see go across the scale, Id say the "average" 4x5 weighs about 750-800. 
Depends on your pressure setting, moisture level.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I see pancakes that a bale spear pushes the core out weigh 1000 pounds. ????


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## 32-0-0 (May 30, 2017)

I use a 467 with the alarm set at 66". I bale coastal with the density dial showing about 3/4 of the way when bale is complete. I weighed a random bale about 2 weeks after it was baled , it weighed about 1100#.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

32-0-0 said:


> I use a 467 with the alarm set at 66". I bale coastal with the density dial showing about 3/4 of the way when bale is complete. I weighed a random bale about 2 weeks after it was baled , it weighed about 1100#.


A 66" bale is huge compared to a 60" bale.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

The 4x5 I have weighed over the years have been between 750-1200 pounds. Coarse first cut or rained on hay on the light end. Oat greenfeed on the high end. The way I got the pressure set the bales of hay fresh out of baler are usually 900-1000 pound range depending on moisture and how good I drive.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Flacer22 said:


> Silly question but wondering what a 4x5 round bale weighs??? Tons of variables I know but what do your bales weigh???
> 
> I've never taken the time to hual mine somewhere and have them weighed kinda wish I had the time to do it so I could more accurately figure out my tonnage.
> 
> ...


Being you are baling at 58" instead of 60", you need to factor in about 6.5% less hay/weight than a 60" bale at same density. Eg 900# bale, 850# or 850# bale, 800#.

I have tossed a couple of bales in the back of my truck and hit the local gravel plt scales a couple of times.

Being I now can weigh all of my bales, it was an eye opener to see the difference between bales from same field, same cutting, same day baling (150# difference heaviest to lightest with 5x5 bales).

Larry


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## 32-0-0 (May 30, 2017)

8350HiTech said:


> A 66" bale is huge compared to a 60" bale.


Yes, 66" is greater than 60" but weight of the 66 can still be used as a reference/guide.


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## Colby (Mar 5, 2012)

I figured my 4x5 bales in coastal with a 468 running all the way to the red line weigh around #900. Dry coastal is probably some of the lightest hay there is


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## youngbaler (Apr 9, 2015)

I have a jd 459 baler, and I sold a load to a guy with a scale on his payloader he said they all weighed around 1000 pounds one weighed 1100. This is in pure alfalfa probably 18 moisture. Also hauled a load to auction 2 years ago bales weighed 1060 at 17.5 moisture.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Anywhere from 700-1100 with a 4x5. Doesn't take first cutting to get a little ripe for the weight to start to drop fast. I like hauling 1000 pounders to the sale, much over that though and price will drop off fast as people think they are wet or may have heated if they were wet.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

I have an order of 4x5 for a customer. I will weigh a batch of them and report back as I am curious also. Weighed some 4x4 and they came in at 540. Was not happy with that weight but maybe that's what they are supposed to weigh.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I have hundreds of weight slips. Typically I being 22 bales in at a time. Gross weight/empty weight difference is usually around 18,500-19,000lbs for 22 bales. That's about 850 each.


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## chevytaHOE5674 (Mar 14, 2015)

Weighed lots of them out of my NH 648 and they average around 900lbs, that's mix grass hay with the pressure cranked up and the moisture running less than 16%.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Missouri hay hauler said:


> Help!!!!
> 
> We just traded balers. From a JD 459 standard (twine only) to a brand new $$ JD 459 MegaWide baler (net and twine). We always bale 60" and I measured so we are good on bale size. We weighed some last year on standard baler and they weighed 875 lbs. We just baled the same field and with new baler they weigh 750 lbs. each at truck stop scales. I was suspecting something when I picked them up with my flex grip and they were squeezing like a warm marsh mellow. They appear soft compared to earlier baler. Field may have been more dry but they still seem soft. Also, on field that I always get 25 bales it yielded 35 bales and it wasn't that much better.
> 
> ...


Starting a new thread with your question should help.

** Topic has been relocated. **

http://www.haytalk.com/forums/topic/71801-new-jd-459-mega-wide-baler-bale-density/


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

Flacer22 said:


> Silly question but wondering what a 4x5 round bale weighs??? Tons of variables I know but what do your bales weigh???
> 
> I've never taken the time to hual mine somewhere and have them weighed kinda wish I had the time to do it so I could more accurately figure out my tonnage.
> 
> ...


Over mature grass 4x5 measuring in at 59 inches 846 and 802

Over mature orchard grass 4x4 measuring in at 48 inches 450 and 47 inches 482


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## Bigfoot62 (Jul 26, 2017)

The JD 457 that I had showed nominal bale weight of dry grass hay at 1000#. My new Vermeer 504R's manual says 1100#

I agree with what most have already said, you will probably average 800-900#

BTW, I also have my monitor set for a 58" bale. When I'm baling in heavy hay, that means that I'll wind up with about a 59-59.5" bale by the time I get the tractor stopped.


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