hay baling cost
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Never heard of anyone doing it by the hour, but I guess if someone was baling some very very light hay, it might be better to do it that way. I would think it would have to be at least $75/hour to make it worth the operator's time.
grannysoo
Well-known member
I have done it by the hour before. If a hayfield does not have much grass and you do it by the bale, you can really loose a lot of money.
Those type of fields cost $100.00 per hour with my equipment, my fuel, and my labor.
Those type of fields cost $100.00 per hour with my equipment, my fuel, and my labor.
nap
Well-known member
These hourly rates are probably accurate. I think the lesson here is to bale less hay and go to a rotational winter grazing scheme. It is time to try something new.
DOC HARRIS
Well-known member
I agree! What might be lost by under-utilization of the winter-grazing system should not balance the cost of high baling expenses of a thin hay crop. And with the increased expenses resulting from fuel costs now, the custom baler MUST charge additional rates.
Makes one realize that more grass-efficient cattle are necessary for a profitable operation, doesn't it?? FEED EFFICIENCY is the catch word of the day!
DOC HARRIS
Makes one realize that more grass-efficient cattle are necessary for a profitable operation, doesn't it?? FEED EFFICIENCY is the catch word of the day!
DOC HARRIS
I have noticed alot of the guys using smaller balers. I don't blame them... still don't see how they make money.
YOu can pay from $24-26 per bale here.
YOu can pay from $24-26 per bale here.
bigbull338
Well-known member
i know a guy thats running a 468 JD baler an he charges $25 a bale to bale hay.now we made 183 5 by 6 bales this year.an our baler man charged $20 a bale.now if the guy with the 468 wouldve baled my hay it wouldve made 25 to 50 more bales.an id been out alot more money.so i prefer the big heavy bales.
Earl Thigpen
Well-known member
I've had quotes for baling hay at anywhere from $14/bale to $25/bale. The $14/bale was baling only with cutting and raking charge on a per acre basis, not per hour. The $25/bale I paid last year was for cut, rake and bale.
There's something to be said for the smaller bales even though the cost is higher to the user. It takes less tractor to move the stuff around. I can pick up a 5X6 bale with my 3000 but I can't move it too well because the front wheels are off the ground. Steering with the brakes works but it's not what I'd call the safest way to move your hay. Then one year I moved it off the field by backing out and that works pretty good - still not the smartest thing to do.
There's something to be said for the smaller bales even though the cost is higher to the user. It takes less tractor to move the stuff around. I can pick up a 5X6 bale with my 3000 but I can't move it too well because the front wheels are off the ground. Steering with the brakes works but it's not what I'd call the safest way to move your hay. Then one year I moved it off the field by backing out and that works pretty good - still not the smartest thing to do.
Howdy ya'll, I'm new here but I saw a forum thread posted back in May that dovetails with this topic. The link is viewtopic.php?f=14&t=47565&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a
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jt
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good points made in this thread and the one bighappy referred to.
thanks for the replies.
i am trying to get more like bigbull and cut my winter feed bill by grazing more. i guess my beef has been with the custom balers who want to roll you a 5x5 bale that is only 52-54 inches tall and you can stick your arm up into them up to your elbow, all for the sake of getting more rolls. i have tried to get them to charge more and roll bigger bales, but that is hard to do and it upsets some of them if you ask. i guess they take it personal, but the only people i have been able to get good rolls from consistently has been those who roll their own and sell the excess.
i am not trying to cut the total $'s charged, just get it in good rolls. that is why i asked what i did at the beginning of this thread.
i have a field that has been yielding about 65-70 rolls per cutting on the 5x5 rolls. had a friend that just got his own equipment for his own use (he is not in the hay business) come in and roll mine this time. since he was a friend i could talk him into it LOL.. he rolls 4x5 rolls and i got 56 of the best rolls i have ever gotten rolled on that field. that is the difference i am talking about.
just ramblin and wondering that if i could get someone to do it by the hour, they would roll good rolls and not worry about the number of rolls.
jt
thanks for the replies.
i am trying to get more like bigbull and cut my winter feed bill by grazing more. i guess my beef has been with the custom balers who want to roll you a 5x5 bale that is only 52-54 inches tall and you can stick your arm up into them up to your elbow, all for the sake of getting more rolls. i have tried to get them to charge more and roll bigger bales, but that is hard to do and it upsets some of them if you ask. i guess they take it personal, but the only people i have been able to get good rolls from consistently has been those who roll their own and sell the excess.
i am not trying to cut the total $'s charged, just get it in good rolls. that is why i asked what i did at the beginning of this thread.
i have a field that has been yielding about 65-70 rolls per cutting on the 5x5 rolls. had a friend that just got his own equipment for his own use (he is not in the hay business) come in and roll mine this time. since he was a friend i could talk him into it LOL.. he rolls 4x5 rolls and i got 56 of the best rolls i have ever gotten rolled on that field. that is the difference i am talking about.
just ramblin and wondering that if i could get someone to do it by the hour, they would roll good rolls and not worry about the number of rolls.
jt
bigbull338
Well-known member
good tight well made bales is what everyone wants.personally i like the big heavy tight 5 by 6 bales.because the bigger the bales the less hay you have to put out.
jkwilson
Well-known member
I bought hay from a guy a couple years ago that was baled so tight I couldn't pick it up with my loader spear unless it was up against something. He said he has a waiting list for custom baling and he only takes the easy fields that are close to home. Buys new equipment about every 3rd year. I suspect he's making pretty good money. It was really nice to put hay out about half as often as normal.
bigbull338
Well-known member
if the bale is tighter than a son of a gun.its hard to spear it an pick it up.you have to hitt it dead center so the spear can go in the bale.we dont use spears to pick hay up.we use bale forks on front an rear.
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jt
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i found just the opposite to be true for me until i bought a store bought spear. i had made a spear out of some 2" solid rod. it would not spear the loose bales. it kept pushing them over and on some of them it did not matter where you speared it. very aggavating to say the least. the tighter the roll, the easier it was for me to spear it. i finally had to buy one of those skinny ones LOL and now i can spear any of em.
jt
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