Custom baling square bales

[GSaltzman]

Wondering what the going price is for square baling hay for someone. I want to be fair to the customer and myself. Thanks.

 

[Double A Ranch]

Cut rake and bale left on the ground behind the baler for $1.00 with a 500 minimium. If they gripe about the price tell them to buy there own stuff!!! :shock: ;-)

 

[MikeC]

Cut rake and bale left on the ground behind the baler for $1.00 with a 500 minimium. If they gripe about the price tell them to buy there own stuff!!! :shock: ;-)

If not more. It would be hard to break even if the hay was thin and you had to cut, rake, and bale much more than 10 acres to get this 500 minimum.

On thin hay, or any hay, do it by the acre.

Wait, what am I saying? I was charging $1.00 per bale 6-8 years ago. Surely expenses have gone up since? ;-)

$50-$60 per acre should cover it unless it's very rough.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

A "business" formula:

• 1. Cost of equipment / Years (or hours) of life = Hourly or daily rate.
  2. Add to "rate" the proportional maintenance costs.
  3. Add to #2 & #3 the cost of fuel for the operation.
  4. Add to the above the going rate for labor to run equipment.
  5. Add to the above the proportional insurance for equipment.
  6. Add to the above bailing wire, twine, or net wrap.
  7. Add to the above your indirect and direct "overhead" costs.
  
  Thus,
  
  #1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + #7 + % of Profit you want = per bale or per acre Selling Price of the job.
  

Your "Break-Even" cost is # 1 through #6. Selling a job for anything less than that...you're losing money and working for free. Your "ultimate" break-even cost is #1 thru #7.

 

[novatech]

Cut rake and bale left on the ground behind the baler for $1.00 with a 500 minimium. If they gripe about the price tell them to buy there own stuff!!! :shock: ;-)

If not more. It would be hard to break even if the hay was thin and you had to cut, rake, and bale much more than 10 acres to get this 500 minimum.

On thin hay, or any hay, do it by the acre.

Wait, what am I saying? I was charging $1.00 per bale 6-8 years ago. Surely expenses have gone up since? ;-)

$50-$60 per acre should cover it unless it's very rough.

How can you do it by the acre as the number of bales will be different in different fields?
I just got back from bailing. One field put out Over 100 bales per acre and another less than 50.
Around here they get 1.35 to 1.50 per bale.

 

[glover36]

around here about $3-4 canadian and thats delivered

 

[msscamp]

around here about $3-4 canadian and thats delivered

:???: I'm confused, why would you be delivering someone elses hay for the cost of cutting, raking, and baling?

 

[MikeC]

Cut rake and bale left on the ground behind the baler for $1.00 with a 500 minimium. If they gripe about the price tell them to buy there own stuff!!! :shock: ;-)

If not more. It would be hard to break even if the hay was thin and you had to cut, rake, and bale much more than 10 acres to get this 500 minimum.

On thin hay, or any hay, do it by the acre.

Wait, what am I saying? I was charging $1.00 per bale 6-8 years ago. Surely expenses have gone up since? ;-)

$50-$60 per acre should cover it unless it's very rough.

How can you do it by the acre as the number of bales will be different in different fields?
I just got back from bailing. One field put out Over 100 bales per acre and another less than 50.
Around here they get 1.35 to 1.50 per bale.

If you charge by the bale you will screwed in the thin fields.

Do it by the acre and and all fields will pay the same. The only difference will be the thick hay will use a little less twine, which is a small part anyway.

You do have to cut, rake and bale the whole field don't you?

 

[Cabo]

This may be too much off subject, but what is considered a normal length for a small square bale? I'm just getting into doing a little custom baling and wonder if there is a "standard".

 

[rkm]

I charge $1.75 per bale [45 to 50 lb bale]. That is for mowing, teding, raking , and baling. We use a bale thrower on the baler to load the wagons. We pull the wagons to their barn they unload. I just did some 2nd cutting for myself and it was a little light. I think I would have lost money at 1.75 when you figure fuel, time and machinery.

 

[GDS]

The original question was about custom rates for small square bales. Cutting, Swathing, Conditioning and Raking are all different operations with their own costs/acre associated with them....

In this area of WY the going rate is $.55 per bale dropped in the field. For another $.55 per bale you can have it stacked with a stack wagon.

One more note. Depending on how and who is handling bales....and whether you are selling them or not the bale size is important. It costs $3.60 more per ton of hay to make 75# bales as opposed to 100# bales.... Just something to keep in mind.

GDS

 

[MikeC]

This may be too much off subject, but what is considered a normal length for a small square bale? I'm just getting into doing a little custom baling and wonder if there is a "standard".

Most use the length as a way to adjust poundage.

Typically the length should be twice the width to allow for neat stacking.

But then again some stack small squares on edge.

 

[alabama]

We got $4.00 per bale in the field last week. It sold in lots from 25 up to 200.
We were in the field all day rolling and as people showed up we would make the number of bales they wanted. It was not my hay so I lost count but I think he sold about 1000.
I just ran the rake all day.

 

[GSaltzman]

Guy's, I appreciate all the input. I'm going to meet with this fellow sometime this week to discuss. I'll get to see his field and find out if he needs me to cut, fluff, rake and bale. I think he has a 8 acre field of either coastal or alesia bermuda. I had only talked to a friend of his who knew I had a baler and he asked if I could do it. We just bought farm fuel last week @ $2.45 a gallon so just with fuel cost I would think you need to watch what you charge so you don't screw yourself. Like I said, I want to be fair to him and myself.

 

[Cabo]

The original question was about custom rates for small square bales. Cutting, Swathing, Conditioning and Raking are all different operations with their own costs/acre associated with them....

In this area of WY the going rate is $.55 per bale dropped in the field. GDS

Do most of you agree that this is a fair price for all concerned for just the baling?