Ask five farmers how much their hay bales weigh and you’ll probably get five different answers – none of which are backed up by a scale ticket. “That’s because most folks think they know their bale weights but more often than not they’re guessing,” said University of Missouri Extension State Forage Specialist and Associate dean Rob Kallenbach. “When you are buying hay by the bale instead of by the ton those guesses can cost you real money.” Kallenbach states MU Extension specialists often ask people to estimate bale weights during events. “Time and time again we see folks overestimate bale weights sometimes by a couple hundred pounds,” said Kallenbach. “That can lead to errors of 15-20% which is a pretty steep tax if you are buying. Worse yet, it can lead to thinking you have enough hay for the winter when you don’t.” Many of those wrong guesses come from what University of Missouri Extension Dairy Specialist Stacey Hamilton calls “neighbor talk.” If one neighbor says his bales…