Hay Stacks in the Small Farmer Market

I know that hay is food for livestock such as cows, horses and sheep in the winter or during long drought.

Fig 01- Look heavier stacks of hay

But, I just get new knowledge that other function of hay stacks is for erosion control or for landscaping called as a straw hay.

Hay for food has two types:

- lighter

- and heavier

In my opinion that both types are fairly cheap in respect for price.

The heavier ones contain higher protein. In addition to nutritious value, people look for dryness of hay.

Fig 02- Public area in our neighborhood

Fig 03- Lighter hay in the farmer market

Dryness relates to quality, since wet hay means easy to be destroyed or rotten by mold.

To be easy to be dried and stored, many people choose round than square bales. Round bales also easier to wrap with plastic.

I saw in the small farmer market not in great number of hay stacks, may be not sold for farmers or ranchers, but for individuals who feed their pets such as rabbit and deer or for decoration purposes only.

I found square hay only, no round bales. The size might be 40 pounds (20 kg), not that big and heavy. It might be due to storage capacity of market.

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