Profit Tips: Equipment - Keep an accurate bale count

Hay has become a precious commodity with many producers now storing round bales under a roof. Stacking hay in a barn, however, often makes it difficult to keep track of the number of total bales left, especially as winter progresses and hay is being fed. Bruce Shanks, Sassafras Valley Ranch, Belle, Mo., implemented an idea from his neighbor, Wes Smith, with a $3 can of spray paint. “As hay is stacked in the barn we count the bales and paint the number on the end of one bale of hay in every row. This is continued as each row is added,” Shanks says. “As the hay is fed, you instantly know how many bales are left in the barn. The time savings is significant.”

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