Hay Cost Calculator

1. Choose whether your hay is priced per bale or per ton, and enter the price and bale weight.
2. Enter the number of animals, daily hay intake per animal and feeding days.
3. Set a waste allowance to see hay needed, bales to buy, total cost and cost per animal per day.

Quick answers

How do I convert price per bale to price per ton?

Price per ton = bale price ÷ bale weight (lb) × 2,000. A $60 bale weighing 1,200 lb is $100 per ton.

Edge cases and limits

• Bale weights vary widely; weigh a few bales instead of assuming.
• Intake depends on animal size, stage and ration — use your own feeding records or nutritionist's figure.

Everything is converted to a cost per pound so bales of different sizes and per-ton prices compare directly. Waste is treated as a share of the hay you buy, so you must buy more than the animals eat.

• Cost per lb = bale price ÷ bale weight (or price per ton ÷ 2,000)
• Hay eaten = animals × daily intake × days
• Hay to buy = hay eaten ÷ (1 − waste %)
• Bales = hay to buy ÷ bale weight, rounded up
• Total cost = hay to buy × cost per lb; per animal per day = total ÷ (animals × days)

Cost per animal per day is the number to budget with and to compare against pasture, silage or purchased feed. Cost per ton lets you compare offers priced per bale against offers priced per ton.

Common mistakes and assumptions

• Guessing bale weight. Bales from the same field can vary by hundreds of pounds.
• Leaving out waste, which can add a third to what you need to buy.
• Comparing price without considering hay quality and moisture.
• Planning for an average winter only; keep a reserve for a long one.

30 cows eating 28 lb of hay a day for a 120-day winter, with 1,000 lb round bales at $65 and 15% waste.

1. 1Cost per lb = $65 ÷ 1,000 = $0.065 ($130 per ton).
2. 2Hay eaten = 30 × 28 × 120 = 100,800 lb.
3. 3Hay to buy = 100,800 ÷ 0.85 ≈ 118,588 lb (59.3 tons), or 119 bales.
4. 4Total ≈ $7,708, about $2.14 per cow per day.

How much hay does a cow eat per day?

A common rule of thumb is about 2–2.5% of body weight in dry hay, so a 1,200 lb cow eats roughly 24–30 lb a day. Lactating cows, cold weather and poor-quality hay increase intake.

How do I compare hay priced per bale and per ton?

Divide the bale price by the bale's weight to get cost per pound, then multiply by 2,000 for cost per ton. A $65, 1,000 lb bale is $130 a ton, cheaper than $150-a-ton hay.

How much hay is wasted?

Round bales stored outside and fed without a feeder can lose 30% or more. Covered storage and ring or cone feeders commonly bring waste down to about 5–15%.

How many round bales do I need for winter?

Multiply animals × daily intake × feeding days, divide by (1 − waste), then divide by the bale weight. The calculator does this and rounds up to whole bales.

Is this the same as the Feed Cost per Animal Calculator?

That calculator covers any ration. This one is built for hay specifically — bale weights, per-ton pricing and feeding waste.