University of Missouri agronomist and NRCS+MU Grassland Project member, Jim Humphrey says there are two ways to more hay: Grow more or store it better.
Humphrey says there are many factors that influence how bales make the trip from the field to the cow.
Environmental factors such as sunlight, precipitation, evaporation and ground conditions can affect quality.
According to Humphrey, the size of the bale itself affects how much hay is wasted. Larger-diameter bales have less loss. Smaller bales have about twice as much exposed surface for the same amount of hay.
In a 5-foot bale, more than 30% of the bale is in the outer 6 inches, the part most apt to be wasted. More than 26% is in the next 6 inches. Just over 20% is in the well-protected 12-inch center core.