Know the tons (or lb) you need and the weight of each bale? Get a buy/store count fast — works for round or square as long as weight is right.
Use this after the winter-hay calculator (or a feed inventory) gives you tons, and you are ordering from a seller who quotes per bale.
Optional waste % covers storage shrink and feeding loss on top of the tonnage target.
Convert tons to pounds if needed. Inflate by waste %. Bales = ceil(total_lb / lb/bale).
need_lb = tons x 2,000 (or use lb directly)
total_lb = need_lb x (1 + waste% / 100)
bales = ceil(total_lb / lb_per_bale)
Seller scales vary — overweight or underweight bales change the count. Weigh a sample when the load matters.
40 tons at 1,200 lb/bale: 80,000 lb → 67 bales (ceil). With 10% extra waste → 88,000 lb → 74 bales.
Assumptions: uniform bale weight; waste is a flat multiplier.
Limits: does not convert between bale sizes — only weight.
Responsibility: confirm with scale tickets on delivery.
Either — enter that bale's average weight.
Don't double-count. Apply waste once in the chain.
We always round up (ceil) so you do not short the inventory.
1 metric tonne ≈ 2,204.6 lb — convert before using the tons field, or use pounds.