anyone weigh their 459 bales?

[CubMaple]

I've been baling with a John Deere 459, mostly grass mix with a little alfalfa and clover, and usually set it for about a 58-inch 4x5 bale. I've always figured they came out around 850–900 lbs, but that's just a guess since I've never actually weighed one.

Kind of wishing I had a better number though, especially when trying to figure out tonnage at the end of the season. I know moisture, density, and crop type change everything, so there's no one "right" answer. For those of you who've hauled bales across a scale lately, what do your 4x5s actually weigh these days? Curious if my back-of-the-napkin math is anywhere close or way off.

 

[vmxguy]

Your estimate of 850-900 pounds for a 4x5 bale is a pretty reasonable guess for that kind of mix. The weight can change a lot depending on how tight you make the bale, which you control with the baler's tension settings and also on the moisture level of the hay when you're baling it. A bale of drier grass will weigh less than a bale of the same size with a little more moisture in it, and bales with a higher percentage of alfalfa will be heavier than a pure grass bale. The best way to know for sure is to put a few of them on a scale, which can be a pain but it's the only way to get a solid number for your records and for selling hay.

 

[saddleandsickle0484]

You got it. The weight of the bale changes based on how tight it is, how wet it is, and what's in it. If you want to know exactly how much it weighs to keep track or sell it, you gotta use a scale.

 

[Full3r]

On my 4x5s with a similar grass alfalfa mix, I usually see them come in around 800 to 900 lbs at about 15% moisture, your estimate sounds pretty close