Field Bale Yield
Calculator

It depends on total forage yield per hectare, the area harvested, and the weight or size of each individual bale, since a heavier or larger bale setting means fewer bales for the same total tonnage. Adjusting baler settings changes the bale count even when the field yield is identical.

Field moisture variability, uneven windrow density, and baler operator settings all cause bale weight to vary from bale to bale, so the calculated figure is an average estimate rather than an exact count. Weighing a sample of bales gives a more accurate picture than assuming uniform weight.

Yes indirectly — wetter hay is heavier per unit volume, so if you're baling at a higher moisture than ideal, each bale may weigh more even at the same physical size, which changes how many bales it takes to move the same dry-matter tonnage off the field.

The bale count differs because the two shapes hold different weights of forage at typical settings, so you cannot directly compare 'number of bales' between a round-baling and square-baling operation without converting to a common weight basis first.

Yes, once you know the average weight per bale, multiply by bale count to get total forage tonnage, then compare that to your herd's calculated daily intake over the feeding period. This tells you whether the harvest covers the winter or whether you need to buy in additional forage.