How to Check Round and Square Hay Bales with a Moisture Meter to Avoid a Barn Fire

How to use an Agtronics moisture tester on small square bales or round bales of hay to determine the moisture content and temperature before storing the hay to reduce the likelihood of spontaneous combustion. Keeping round bales below 15 percent moisture and small square bales below 20 percent moisture will ensure safe storage. This video discusses the importance of moisture and temperature as they relate to bale storage. #hay #roundbales #squarebales 0:00 Introduction: Hay Moisture Content, Temperature, and Fire Hazards 0:30 The Risk: Issues with Hay Catching Fire (Bales and Balers) 0:59 Context: Getting Hay into the Barn and Weather Concerns 1:20 Method 1: The Non-Instrument Hay Twist Test 2:00 Equipment Overview: Hay Moisture/Temperature Tester 2:20 Round Bale Moisture Targets (15% or Less is Safe) 2:40 Advanced Considerations: Hay Type and Bale Density 3:05 Monitoring Strategy: Accepting 20-21% Moisture if Temperature is Low 3:20 Critical Temperature Danger Zone (130°F+) 3:42 Safety Rule: Pull Any Bale Over 100°F Aside Quickly 4:35 Review: The EG Tronics Moisture Tester (Rebranded Unit) 5:31 Testing Demo: Checking Moisture and Temperature of a Bale 6:50 Testing a Higher Moisture Bale and the Importance of Monitoring 8:36 Round Bale Moisture Rule: 15% or Below 8:58 Small Square Bale Moisture Rule: 20% or Less 9:08 Temperature Test: A Very Cold Bale (Not a Fire Hazard) 9:23 Testing a High-Moisture Bale (27.8%) and Why It's Still Cold 10:33 Feeding Strategy: Identifying "Bad" Bales for Immediate Use 11:38 Rebaling Hot Hay: Converting Round Bales to Square Bales 12:17 Testing Demo: Small Square Bale 13:28 Cost of Testers (A Worthwhile Investment) 13:57 Hay Quality Advice: Dry Hay is Better Than Green Hay 15:04 High-Tech Option: Baler-Connected Moisture Meters 16:07 Safety Tip: Stop Baling When Dew Starts to Fall (Night Baling) 16:42 Headlands Caution: Testing Bales Made in Shady Areas 17:40 Final Summary: Rules for Hay Safety 18:17 Twist Test vs. Electronic Meter (When to Use Each) ─────────────── 📍 Brad Kemp - Blue Nile Farm | Hay • Horses • Equipment • Country Living 📌 Northeast Ohio 🌾 I’m Brad Kemp from Blue Nile Farm — a working hay and equipment operation focused on real results, not fancy trends. Everything you see here comes from experience in the field, not a studio. No sponsors. No scripts. Just honest farming, equipment use, and land improvement. If you’re trying to build better ground, stronger hay, healthier animals, or smarter equipment decisions — you’re in the right place. Subscribe and follow along as we build it the real way. 👍 If you found this video helpful, please LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE — it truly helps the channel grow! 📺 Watch more videos here:    / @bradkemp62