Round Bales & Return $$$'s

We are getting our ducks in a row making square bales and having some success with it.  Also looking to expand our acerage with some field clearings over the next few years.

 

Squares are great - seems like that's where the $$$'s are at, however.....

 

Looking down the road at some point my help (my teenage kids) are going to be out on their own and I don't want to hem them in on the hay deal if it's not something they are interested-in - long term.  One thing to be in high school and bale hay with the 'ol man', but at some point, I'll be doing this hay on my own - and I ain't getting any younger - LOL!

 

So starting to feel my way around round balers and also potential prices for round bales.  Looking forward - looking for info for another day.

 

Frankly what I'm seeing isn't very encouraging from a price standpoint.  Would it be fair to say that for a given weight total, a round bale might fetch 1/2 what the equivelant load of square bales of equal weight?  To be fair, I'm not talking about price per pound or ton, but price per square and per round bale.  So if a 4x4 round bale (I probably should stick with a 4x4 round with my 50 pto hp tractor) was 800lbs and a square was 50 lbs, there would theoriticly be 16 squares in that 4x4 round.  If you got $4 per square - that would be $64 for 800 lbs of them.  I see (on CL) 4x4 bales going for an average $25 each.  That's a big price difference!!!!!  4x5 rounds aren't much better.  BTW - those prices are for primarily orchard grass or OG with some other grasses mixed-in. 

 

Factor in your lime, fertilizer, weed spray, diesel, twine and are you going to make any $$$'s with a round bale?

 

So - give me the skinny on how to make $$$'s on round bales of hay.  What are realistic prices (not just CL).  If round baling - I should think the horse customer is mostly out (guessing here) and maybe beef/dairy would be the customer.  Perhaps rather than making timothy squares, you make orchard grass or alfalfa round bales.

 

Help me figure out the round bale market.  There must be some $$$'s in it as it is a rare sight these days to see a square baler on a dealer lot - or in the field!

 

Any tips, sage advice - would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks!

Bill

Round Bales & Return $$$'s