An equine nutritionist shares how to calculate a horse’s annual hay intake and how to reduce hay waste to help stretch the costs through the year. Consider this article and topic for horse enthusiast groups and youth presentations or workshops.
Source: The Horse, August 9, 2026. Link. When calculating how much hay to purchase, consider hay wastage during storage and feeding. The amount of waste varies greatly depending on the type of bales and the feeder used. For example, hay wastage can range from 1 to 13 percent when using small square bales in varying feeder designs. Hay wastage can exceed 50 percent when feeding round bales with no feeder.
Also see: Round versus small square hay bales for horses, Horse Creek Hay & Feed, June 7, 2026. Link. Includes commercial information.
On a per-bale basis, round bales are dramatically cheaper than small square hay bales on a per ton basis. The lower purchase price doesn’t always translate to lower actual feeding cost when accounting for storage losses, feeding waste, and equipment costs that can significantly erode or entirely eliminate the price advantage of round bales.”
Image: Link.
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