If you stockpile hay in single rows out in the weather, you've probably priced "bale bonnets" — the individual caps that slip over the top of a round bale — and winced. At a couple hundred dollars a dozen, capping a year's bales adds up fast. So farmers do what farmers do: they find cheaper ready-made versions, or build their own from a roll of plastic and some anchors. Here's what producers actually use, what it costs, and where an individual cover earns its keep versus just relying on net wrap and a good storage spot.
Quick answer: Branded "bale bonnets" run around $220 a dozen (~$18 each), which is why producers look for cheaper options. Ready-made bale slips run about $4.50 each shipped, and farm stores sell multi-packs of black bale caps. The DIY route is a roll of plastic plus reusable anchors — screw-in hay anchors (hayanchors.com) or bungee anchors, with a 10-ft tarp over a single row. Individual covers make the most sense on single-row, well-drained, sloped storage where you don't want to fight one big tarp per row. They're a supplement to good net wrap and a dry base — not a substitute. Most spoilage comes from the bottom, so the cover only fixes the top.
Why farmers go looking for an alternative
The trigger is almost always the price of the name-brand caps. One West-Central Illinois producer laid out the whole problem — old covers wearing out, sticker shock on new ones, and a setup that suits individual caps:
"I'm needing around 12 dozen more bale covers this year as my grandpas old stash of them are starting to get pretty brittle... a website that markets them as 'bale bonnets' but they're like $220/dozen which seems kind of steep for what they are. I put away my hay single file rows on a few different sloped spots with some gravel underneath and would rather not fight with 1 big tarp for each row of bales."
— original poster, West Central Illinois · AgTalk thread 1077002
Note the setup he describes — single rows, sloped ground, gravel underneath. That's the situation where individual caps shine, because the bales are already stored to drain and he just needs to keep the top dry without wrestling a full-length tarp.
The cheaper ready-made options
You don't have to build them. Producers point to a few lower-cost sources. Ready-made bale slips at a fraction of the bonnet price:
"These are about $4.50 each and shipping included."
— 17821x, NE Iowa · AgTalk thread 1077002
Farm stores carry multi-packs of black bale caps, and a farm-supply catalog brand makes them too:
"I think farmtek makes them, I got some for a hay customer several years ago."
— blowsand, Mercer County, IL · AgTalk thread 1077002
One producer's tip was simply that beyond the ready-made slips, you "can get [them] at farm and fleet" in black multi-packs (nw_bearcat, central MO).
The DIY route: a roll of plastic + reusable anchors
If you'd rather build, the recipe is a roll of plastic (or short tarps) plus an anchoring system you reuse for years. The standout method from the thread uses screw-in anchors that bite into the hay:
"Google hayanchors.com. Orange plastic that screw into the hay. Use bungee anchors from Gemplers. Use 10'x tarps for a single row of hay. Have had the hay anchors for several years. Still good for many more years."
— hanz, SE Texas · AgTalk thread 1077002
The appeal is that the anchors are a one-time buy that lasts many seasons, so your only recurring cost is the plastic. A 10-ft tarp caps a single row, and screw-in or bungee anchors hold it without you fighting a full-field cover in the wind.
| Option | Rough cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Branded "bale bonnets" | ~$220/dozen (~$18 ea) | Convenience; pre-made caps |
| Ready-made bale slips | ~$4.50 each shipped | Cheaper pre-made; single bales/rows |
| Farm-store black caps (multi-pack) | Low; varies | Quick local pickup |
| DIY: plastic + screw-in/bungee anchors | Anchors once + plastic | Single-row stockpiling; lowest long-run cost |
The honest limit: covers only fix the top
Here's the part worth saying plainly: an individual cover keeps rain and snow off the top of the bale, but most outdoor storage loss comes from the bottom — moisture wicking up out of the ground into the bale. A cap on a bale sitting in wet sod still rots from underneath. That's why the producer above stores on sloped ground with gravel underneath: the cover and the base work together. If your bales aren't already up off wet ground, fix that first — see round bale storage base prep and how to store round bale hay. A cover is the finishing touch on good storage, not a rescue for bad storage.
Cover, or just wrap well and store smart?
Individual covers, net wrap, and a dry base all reduce the same loss, and the right mix depends on how long you're storing and how wet your climate is. If you feed bales within the year off well-drained ground, good net wrap alone often does the job. If you're stockpiling premium hay outside for a long time in a wet climate, a cover on top of net wrap and a dry base is cheap insurance on feed you can't afford to lose. The decision is the same one behind choosing a hay tarp — match the protection to the value and the storage time.
Where XES fits
A cover protects the top; the net wrap protects the whole bale — its shape, its shed, and how much weather runs off instead of soaking in. The two work together: a tight, fully wrapped bale sheds most weather on its own, so the cover is handling the last few percent rather than carrying the whole load. XES Extreme net wrap is DLG-tested (Report #7439) and UV-rated 12 months (tested to ISO 4892-2), built to keep stockpiled bales tight and weather-shedding outside. Compare widths and lengths on the net wrap product page.
The bottom line
You don't have to pay bonnet prices to cap your bales. Ready-made slips run a few dollars each, farm stores sell black caps in multi-packs, and the DIY route — a roll of plastic with reusable screw-in or bungee anchors — gets your recurring cost down to just the plastic. Covers earn their keep on single-row, well-drained, sloped stockpiles where one big tarp per row is a pain. Just remember a cover only fixes the top: get the bales off wet ground and wrapped tight first, and the cap finishes the job.
Frequently asked questions
How much do bale covers cost?
Branded "bale bonnets" run around $220 a dozen, or roughly $18 each. Cheaper alternatives include ready-made bale slips at about $4.50 each shipped, and black bale caps sold in multi-packs at farm stores. The DIY route — a roll of plastic plus reusable anchors — has the lowest long-run cost since the anchors last many seasons.
How do you make DIY bale covers?
Use a roll of plastic or short 10-ft tarps over a single row of bales, held down with reusable anchors — screw-in hay anchors that bite into the bale, or bungee-style anchors. Producers report the anchors last several years, so your only recurring cost is the plastic. It avoids fighting one full-length tarp per row.
Are individual bale covers worth it?
They can be, on single-row, well-drained stockpiles of hay you're storing a long time — especially in wet climates where the feed is too valuable to lose. If you feed bales within the year off dry ground, good net wrap alone often suffices. A cover is a supplement to proper storage, not a substitute.
Do bale covers stop all spoilage?
No. A cover keeps weather off the top, but most outdoor storage loss comes from the bottom, where ground moisture wicks up into the bale. A capped bale sitting in wet sod still rots from underneath. Store bales off wet ground on a drained or gravel base so the cover and base work together.
Cover the bales or just net wrap them well?
Both reduce loss, and the right mix depends on storage time and climate. A tight, fully net-wrapped bale on well-drained ground sheds most weather on its own and may not need a cover if fed within the year. For long-term stockpiling of premium hay in wet country, a cover on top of good net wrap and a dry base is cheap insurance.
This guide is maintained by the XES Netting team — a bale net-wrap manufacturer. Every farmer quote in this post is verbatim with a thread link, so you can read the originals. Prices and product sources are producer-reported and change over time — confirm current pricing before buying.
Related guides
Featured photo: Covered hay bales and track by Rob Farrow, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
