Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Effective cost per ton (delivered to animal)
$149.94
Sticker cost per ton
$108.33
Usable weight per bale (lb)
867
Lost to waste per bale (lb)
333
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How to use this
- 1Enter price per bale ($).
- 2Enter bale weight (lb).
- 3Enter storage/weathering loss (%).
- 4Enter feeding refusal/waste loss (%).
- 5Enter delivery cost per bale ($).
- 6Read your effective cost per ton (delivered to animal) on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
A $65 round bale and a $9 small square bale can't be compared directly until you know the weight of each, and sellers rarely quote weight consistently. This calculator converts any bale price and estimated weight into a true cost per ton, then factors in typical storage and feeding waste so the number reflects what you actually get into the animal, not just what you paid at the stack. Outdoor-stored round bales commonly lose 15-25% of dry matter to weathering and another 10-20% to feeding refusal without a ring, while barn-stored square bales lose far less. Comparing raw sticker prices without these losses routinely leads buyers to the wrong hay lot. Run both options side by side to see which is actually cheaper delivered into the cow.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Price per bale: 65 $
- Bale weight: 1200 lb
- Storage/weathering loss: 15 %
- Feeding refusal/waste loss: 15 %
- Delivery cost per bale: 0 $
Results
- Effective cost per ton (delivered to animal): $149.94
- Sticker cost per ton: $108.33
- Usable weight per bale (lb): 867
- Lost to waste per bale (lb): 333
What each field means
Inputs
- Price per bale ($)
- The price per bale used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 65 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Bale weight (lb)
- The bale weight used in the calculation, measured in lb. Starts at 1200 lb so you have a working example on load.
- Storage/weathering loss (%)
- The storage/weathering loss used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 15 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–40 %.
- Feeding refusal/waste loss (%)
- The feeding refusal/waste loss used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 15 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–40 %.
- Delivery cost per bale ($)
- The delivery cost per bale used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 0 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Effective cost per ton (delivered to animal)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Sticker cost per ton
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Usable weight per bale (lb)
- Returned as a whole number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Lost to waste per bale (lb)
- Returned as a whole number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Why does bale weight matter more than price?
Round bale weight varies from 800 lb to 1,800 lb depending on baler settings and moisture, so a cheaper-looking bale by the piece can easily be the more expensive hay by the ton. Always ask for a scale weight, not a nominal size.
How much does a hay ring actually save?
University trials consistently show unrolled or ring-fed hay drops feeding waste from 30-45% down to 6-15%. On a herd going through 20 tons a winter, that's often $1,500-$3,000 in hay you didn't have to buy.
Should I store hay outside if I have no barn?
If outside is the only option, stack bales on pallets or gravel, orient flat ends together in rows, and expect 15-20% loss versus 3-5% under a roof. Tarping the top row cuts losses further for a modest cost.
How do I estimate moisture-adjusted tonnage?
This tool assumes as-fed weight. If you have a moisture test, multiply tonnage by (100 − moisture%)/88 to normalize to standard 12% moisture hay for fair lot-to-lot comparisons.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Hay Bale Cost Per Ton Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hay-bale-cost-per-ton
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hay-bale-cost-per-ton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hay Bale Cost Per Ton Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Hay Bale Cost Per Ton Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hay-bale-cost-per-ton) (2026).