{
  "slug": "hay-bale-needs",
  "title": "Hay Feeding & Bale Requirement Calculator",
  "heading": "Hay Requirement Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hay-bale-needs",
  "summary": "Bales and tons needed to feed a herd through winter.",
  "description": "Calculate the winter hay supply from herd size, body weight, feeding days, and waste — then convert it to bale count and total feed cost.",
  "formula": "Daily need = weight × intake % × (1 + waste); bales = total lb ÷ bale weight.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=hay-bale-needs",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "head",
      "label": "Head to feed",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 40,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "lbs",
      "label": "Average body weight",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1250,
      "unit": "lb",
      "min": 100,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "intake",
      "label": "Daily intake",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2.5,
      "unit": "% of body weight",
      "min": 1,
      "max": 4
    },
    {
      "id": "days",
      "label": "Feeding days",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 120,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "waste",
      "label": "Feeding waste",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 15,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 50
    },
    {
      "id": "baleLb",
      "label": "Bale weight",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1200,
      "unit": "lb",
      "min": 20,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "balePrice",
      "label": "Price per bale",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 65,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "bales",
      "label": "Bales needed",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "tons",
      "label": "Total hay (tons)",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "cost",
      "label": "Total hay cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "daily",
      "label": "Daily herd need (lb)",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "costPerHeadDay",
      "label": "Cost per head per day",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Head to feed: 40",
      "Average body weight: 1250 lb",
      "Daily intake: 2.5 % of body weight",
      "Feeding days: 120",
      "Feeding waste: 15 %",
      "Bale weight: 1200 lb",
      "Price per bale: 65 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Bales needed: 144",
      "Total hay (tons): 86.3",
      "Total hay cost: $9,360",
      "Daily herd need (lb): 1,438",
      "Cost per head per day: $1.95"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter head to feed.",
      "Enter average body weight (lb).",
      "Enter daily intake (% of body weight).",
      "Enter feeding days.",
      "Enter feeding waste (%).",
      "Enter bale weight (lb).",
      "Enter price per bale ($).",
      "Read your bales needed on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "head": 24,
        "lbs": 750,
        "intake": 1.5,
        "days": 70,
        "waste": 9,
        "baleLb": 700,
        "balePrice": 40
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "head": 40,
        "lbs": 1250,
        "intake": 2.5,
        "days": 120,
        "waste": 15,
        "baleLb": 1200,
        "balePrice": 65
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "head": 64,
        "lbs": 2000,
        "intake": 4,
        "days": 190,
        "waste": 24,
        "baleLb": 1900,
        "balePrice": 105
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How much waste is normal?",
      "a": "Unrolled on the ground can hit 30–40%. A well-designed ring feeder holds it near 5–10%, which pays for the feeder in one season."
    },
    {
      "q": "Should I feed by weight or by bale?",
      "a": "By weight. Round bale weights vary 20% or more between fields, and paying by the bale without weighing is a gamble."
    }
  ],
  "related": [],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Hay Feeding & Bale Requirement Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hay-bale-needs)"
}