New Generation of Hay Trailers May Reduce Hay Waste

No matter what your hay needs, at some point you will need to move hay from point A to point B. No matter how far – or short – the distance, some amount of hay waste is inevitable. Thankfully, the amount of waste is decreasing significantly thanks to a new generation of hay trailers.

In addition to reducing hay waste, moving hay with these new trailers is also faster and less labor intensive. These trailers promise a future of improved productivity and increased profitability.

In the past, bad side hay waste was unavoidable. Hay bales sat in the field before being stored and the bottom grew mildew, rendering it inedible. The longer is sat, the more waste. Depending on how much hay a farmer or rancher needs, this hay waste can really add up. However, if the right type of hay trailer is used, these losses can be considerably minimized.

The latest generation of self-loading and unloading trailers is making all the difference when it comes to hay waste. Instead of using a tractor to load and unload hay bales, these new trailers use hydraulic controls to lift bales and set them down where needed. The rails of these trailers slide under the bales so that even old and misshapen bales can be lifted and transported without more damage occurring.

These trailers also speed up the loading, transporting and unloading of bales to storage areas or to even the most remote fields. And since some models also can be hitched to a standard pickup truck, it is unnecessary to wait on tractors which may be in use elsewhere.

Another benefit of these new generation of trailers is that unlike conventional hay trailers that dump the hay while unloading, these new trailers ensure that a new bad side doesn’t result. These self-loading and unloading trailers pick up bales and set them down where – and in what position – is desired. These new trailers also allow hay bales to be loaded from the front or back of the trailer. This makes loading bales easier and faster.

Of course, every farmer and rancher will need to decide whether or not it makes good financial sense to invest in a new hay trailer. It is nice to know, however, that the option is available.