Round balers

[Farmerboy247]

Ok all you farmers that use round balers, what is the make and model to get? im a square baler guy and know absolutley nothing about round balers but im in the market to buy a used one to bale up my cow hay. any info on them is greatly appriciated!

 

[old]

You want what is called an open throat type they do not plug up as easy as the other type do. If you want cheap and almost bullet proof try a good old NH chain baler. They do not make a real good fancy looking bale but they make a good bale and can be found for less then $1000 at least in my area they can be. But of course like any thing used you have to be sure to check them out from top to bottom

 

[Anonymous-0]

Might help to know what you are pullin it with. I use a Hesston 5530, the prices are down on the older models, I pull mine with an Allis d-10, which has dual acting hydraulics. This baler is for 35-60HP, there are lot of others out there, if you look.

 

[keh]

Get a type with good dealer support as close as possible. I use a Vermeer 505 and like it. I use a 65 hp tractor and the only time it breathes hard is going up a steep hill with almost a full bale in the baler. That's a 5 x 5 bale, a 4 x 5 would be easier to pull.

I've had both belt and chain balers, prefer belts.

KEH

 

[casenut1]

i'd go with a Vermeer . the are easy to work on and make a good bale.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Round balers are going to be outlawed,The cows aren"t getting a square meal. lol couldn"t help it

 

[old]

Tell him not me please

 

[kyhayman]

Open throat, from the big 3 of balers (NH, JD, Vermeer). In JD, I'd go with at least a x35 series, NH, any of the belt balers they are all pretty similar. I run a pair of NH 650s. Vermeer, I cant discuss intellegently other than two neighbors have them and I dont care much for the bale density. Its the same curse that I had with NH chain balers. I just cant get a tight enough bale to suit me, and I wore out 3, right through the bale case.

Fuel and time is whats really expensive. Takes as much of both to make poor bales as good bales. Width is the next big variable. If you are putting them on the road, get 4 foot wide. Baling and feeding on site, get a 5 foot.

 

[Farmerboy247]

thanks for all the info! some of them say they are a manual tie others an auto tie? can someone explain that please? also do they use regular baler twine?

 

[JDseller]

The guys have covered the main things to look for pretty well. The only thing I will add is to make sure you have local dealer support. I don't care what brand. You will have need of it sometime. That time is usually when you have a field of hay down. So you need answers right then not days later. If you lose a crop of hay to rain it will more than make up for a cheap deal on a baler that you don't have any local support.

Around me here in North-East Iowa you see mainly JD and NH. A very few Vermeer balers here as there is only one dealer within easy driving distance for Vermeer. There are 3-4 JD and NH dealers in the same area. I am not bad mouthing a Vermeer either just you need to have a dealer network that works for you locally.

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 10:45:57 06/19/12) thanks for all the info! some of them say they are a manual tie others an auto tie? can someone explain that please? also do they use regular baler twine?

Manual tie is accomplished by pulling a rope or activating a hyd lever to operate a cylinder that moves twine tube. Automatic will tie(wrap) the bale at a set size determined by operator

 

[Anonymous-0]

Manual tie means you stop the tractor, pull a rope, and slowly let the rope play out, then let go of the rope, to finish wrapping the twine on the balw, and cut the twine. I have the manual tie, on my Hesston. Would like to have the electric tie option, but ain't got the money. Some come with a hydraulic tie option, but that's another set of hoses to hook up! Newer ones have net wrap, haven't a clue how well that works!

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 19:20:49 06/19/12) I have the manual tie, on my Hesston. Would like to have the electric tie option, but ain't got the money. Newer ones have net wrap, haven't a clue how well that works!

DiyDave
Thanks for adding electric twine tie which I forgot. To clarify for Farmerboy247 at this point in time all rd balers must be stopped to put twine or net wrap on a bale. Just a little more info: net wrap takes 8 seconds to apply net wrap while dual twine tying arms takes about 35. This means one can bale about 25% more bales in any given period of time.