Round Baler Question?

Help Support CattleToday:

A

Anonymous

Does anyone know a good brand of 4x4 Round Baler that will take the wrap for hay or haylage/silage either one?
 
[email protected]":3vmddhk2 said:
Does anyone know a good brand of 4x4 Round Baler that will take the wrap for hay or haylage/silage either one?

All major makers have them - new and used.

All of them work fine if mechanically sound and well maintained.

It is a matter of how much you want to pay.

Check out the farm auctions.

Know your prices.

Bez!
 
I looked up vermeer but, I don't see anything on there in the smaller 4x4 balers that will do either dry or wet. Maybe I'm blind.
 
Well, I use an old New Holland for the farm that makes 6 footers.

A couple of calls to the dealers in your area will certainly solve your problem.

You need to provide a bit of info - like - new? used?

NH 650 will do the job, any other hard core baler that has a silage kit will do - you can set the bale size and start baling. One nice thing about this is you are not nailed to simply baling at 4 feet. If someone nearby wants you to do up a few for them you can set the size a bit bigger if need be.

I use the 650 for custom stuff for the smaller producer - I make them 4, 5, or 6 feet in diametre - all are 4 feet wide. It will bale wet / dry and tie or wrap.

I have used JD, Case IH, NH and Gehl. All have performed well in my opinion. Vermeer is a big name in many areas but I have never used one. A local here has baled for me every once in a while when I get behind. He uses the Vermeer with good results so I would not be afraid to go that route either.

Far as I am concerned, the colour has never mattered. What really matters for the used stuff is how it has been maintained.

Bez!
 
Doesn't matter if its new or used or which ever brand. What I was really wondering is if they make one that will bale and wrap all in one machine? Sorry I wasn't clear in the beginning. If I have to buy a wrapper it wouldn't be feasible to do it. Do they make a change over kit to allow a regular baler to apply the wrap in the same manner as a baler would normally apply twine or net? Thanks so much.
 
[email protected]":3biymhkw said:
Doesn't matter if its new or used or which ever brand. What I was really wondering is if they make one that will bale and wrap all in one machine? Sorry I wasn't clear in the beginning. If I have to buy a wrapper it wouldn't be feasible to do it. Do they make a change over kit to allow a regular baler to apply the wrap in the same manner as a baler would normally apply twine or net? Thanks so much.

I need to learn to read between the lines a bit better. :oops:

You are speaking of the white plastic wrap?

If so, I do not know of any machine that does this. Usually the hay is baled and then it is wrapped.

You have a couple of options though.

1. Find someone to custom wrap your bales.

2. Buy the baler you need now, take hay off in the traditional manner and purchase the wrapper in the next couple of years.

Other than that I am unable to provide any more info.

Someone else may be able to provide input.

Regards,

Bez!
 
I already have a baler but, I want a new one. I guess it's my age, I'm still young and like shinny stuff. The wrappers I have seen vary greatly I found one for a few grand that you set the bale on and it rotates it off of the pto. I just wonder if it would seal it up properly. No one else around here does it so this is the only way I have of getting info it. You guys and gals are great on here. Gehl has a very easy to navigate and informative site. I am trying to get away from the 100 hp ++ tractors and stay smaller. I like a 4x4 or 4x5 bale better. The old Joker I have now doesn't do much as far as bale size regulation it has a mind of it's own and in my experience used stuff can lead to problems. The only thing I know about is the old chain round balers, if anyone can give me a few pointers it would be greatly appreciated. I know all of the big names will work but, due to other work, etc. the wrapping of the bales would be helpful to me but, it has to not be a time consuming job wrapping these jokers, I don't have the squeeze equipment for the wrapped bales so I guess I'll have to use tape to plug the spike holes I wonder how good that stuff really works. Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to explain myself a little better.
 
Alright. I am probably old enough to be your Dad. You can take this advice, or flush it - choice is yours.

If your baler is working and you have cash - repeat - cash - to pay for a new one. Do not buy your baler yet!!

Do not buy your wrapper yet.

Leave your cash in the farm account.

If you do not have the cash - then find out what your annual payment towards a new baler would be. Start making that payment to yourself - when you can pay cash - then consider buying. If you can pay yourself - good. Better to find out if you can make the payment this way than the hard way.

If you are able to find a used wrapper that you can pay cash for - then buy it - ONLY if you believe it will create a higher quality feed that will in turn bring you more money. If it will not bring you more money - then leave it be.

Remember that for you to be well protected your first priority should be to have at least three years of operating capital in the bank. I mean this stongly!!!!

If I were to completely cut off your cash flow - right this minute could you last for three years? I used to believe two years was enough - but we are in our third year of disaster here - and it is tough to hang on. Wife works off farm and I work off farm - we can only hope to hold on.

Now - when prices are high - you should be socking away the cash. NOW!! If you are as young as I suspect, you will not have the memories of folks losing their operations due to low commodity pricing.

Save your coin and operate cheap. CHEAP!!!!

While I hope it does not happen, when the hard times hit you will be thanking me. If you are one of the dreaded hobby guys - :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: - what happens if your job goes south and you cannot find new employment?

Please forgive my lecture - I am living this now - prepare for the worst and plan for the best.

I wish you all the best.

Bez!
 
I do remember a little bit when people lost everything due to commodity and those 1% government loans that jumped to 13% overnight. Well I build custom homes and do a fair amount of remodeling as my father did for fifty years. In our area that has been booming for the past five, plus years here. All of this time I have been working my behind off, paid off my house owe nothing to anyone, have one credit card, never carry a balance over to the next month. Unlike others in my age group I never did the dope, drinking or whoring around thing. I have health, disability and enough life insurance for my two daughters and wife to live off of for a long time very comfortably. Our farm has been in my family for three generations I am one of eleven grandkids and the only one interested in keeping this deal going. I have worked hard and am able to "lose" a little money on the farm thing however, I treat it as any other business. I am what some call a hobby farmer, which I feel is very disrespectful to start with, I carry the same burden and worries that a large rancher does, only It is dealing with houses, in an almost certainly declining market, I too pay high health insurance premiums and all of the self employment tax that a "farmer" does. I compare it to a cattle farmer who diversifies by raising hogs or grain as a cash crop, only my diversification is hay and cattle, building being my mainstay. Bottom line is:I actually lose money every year if I take into account all of my time and expenses in farming, the past few years the cattle have made me some money as long as I don't count my time in the equation. If I quit investing in cattle, hay, pasture and fertilizer then I my as well sell my ground for 50 grand an acre (going price here lately) and move to NY,NY and work on wall street. So I will stay here and keep experimenting and keeping this thing alive. If houses and remodeling quit I can "survive" off of the hay and cattle. I don't live in a mansion, no ferrarri's, no speed boats no trips to the bay for fishing, just live simply. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time to take advantage of what I am able to do, build.
Back to the bale wrapper, I was just thinking that it would save a lot of quality in the feed if I could roll it up and wrap it when the rains started to come in on me, right now I have about 20 tons of Alfala that is yellow because the rain got to it before I could get it all rolled. I can sell and use the baleage of good quality any day of the week. This junk that got rained on, well it takes twice as much to feed the same number of cattle and nobody wants to buy it. I know this is a very long post but, I wanted to give you information on your concerns. I agree that things will go south sooner than latter in this so called "great" economy. When 60,70 and 80 year old people tell you it's coming then it is going to come! At present I do have two years of expenses set aside, and keep so called "liquid assets" to cover my behind even further. Thanks for your concerns, your advice is sincere and honest. Thank you
 
Wish I was you sometimes! :lol: :lol:

Look - another potential option to consider.

I think you might look at a custom baler for your baling and that will free up the cash to go for the wrapping machine. Or buy the wrapper and lease the baler for a couple of years.

Keeps your overall cost down. There are options that may be available through a local dealer as well - I think you should go to see them - lay the cards on the table and put the monkey on their back.

This is what they do for a living - and they wil WANT to make the deal work - so let them come up with a custom solution for you.

Nothing says you have to take their solution, but it will provide enough information that will allow you to deal with them from a "strength" position.

Go see two or three of them - shop the market.

Be proud of what you have accomplished - not many in your boots.

Regards,

Bez!
 
frenchie":3qknj0ou said:
McHale and Claas make a round baler that wraps as well.
The Claas runs about $55,000 cdn

frenchie - air tight sliage plastic wrap?

Claas makes good equipment - did not know they had a plastic wrapper built in.

Thanks frenchie.

Bez!
 
Bez!":2c2ntv5p said:
frenchie":2c2ntv5p said:
McHale and Claas make a round baler that wraps as well.
The Claas runs about $55,000 cdn

frenchie - air tight sliage plastic wrap?

Claas makes good equipment - did not know they had a plastic wrapper built in.

Thanks frenchie.

Bez!

Heres the link I was ,nt too interested when I heard the price

http://www.claas.com/countries/generato ... en_US.html


http://www.mchale.net/products/details. ... &section=2

I.M.H.O ..A person is better off to use a wrapper that wraps the bales in rows like this Anderson uses half the wrap then a single wrapper.Sometimes rental outfits rent them out.

http://www.helmuthrepair.com/andersonbw.html
 
frenchie":1d13ylue said:
Bez!":1d13ylue said:
frenchie":1d13ylue said:
McHale and Claas make a round baler that wraps as well.
The Claas runs about $55,000 cdn

frenchie - air tight sliage plastic wrap?

Claas makes good equipment - did not know they had a plastic wrapper built in.

Thanks frenchie.

Bez!

Heres the link I was ,nt too interested when I heard the price


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: I look forward to the day I have 55K in the bank!

http://www.claas.com/countries/generato ... en_US.html


http://www.mchale.net/products/details. ... &section=2

I.M.H.O ..A person is better off to use a wrapper that wraps the bales in rows like this Anderson uses half the wrap then a single wrapper.Sometimes rental outfits rent them out.

http://www.helmuthrepair.com/andersonbw.html

Thanks again,

Bez!
 
Not paying that much for a baler, no custom operators worth dealing with in my area. thanks for the replies
 
[email protected]":3t66ewmb said:
I looked up vermeer but, I don't see anything on there in the smaller 4x4 balers that will do either dry or wet. Maybe I'm blind.
The Vermeer Rebel 5400 will bale 4x4 or 4x5 haylage bales. Remember the Vermeer has hydraulic belt tension so you can adjust to the crop and or density of bale desired.
Also the Vermeer 554-XL baler is a great haylage baler. This bale has the wide pick-up available.

554wp_1.jpg
 
frenchie":13g5dcco said:
McHale and Claas make a round baler that wraps as well.
The Claas runs about $55,000 cdn
I agree with Bez. * CASH IS KING* Think on this: If you can have western alfalfa delivered to your door for $110 a ton, that 55,000 translates into 500 tons of western hay. Now take the $ 55,000, plus interst on money till paid off, plus $3 plastic for every bale you wrap, plus diesel fuel to bale, mow, rake, haul hay(OH by the way you'll have to buy a squeezer to move wrapped bales without puncturing them), plus tractor expense and labor. Add all those costs together and divide by $110/ton western hay delivered, and see how many tons you get. YOU WOULD BE BETTER OFF TO SIT IN THE SHADE AND DRINK LEMONADE and unload hay truck when it comes. Unless, you are a custom operator with a huge client list. I've seen the Class. She's a beauty. But will it pencil for most operation? i will follow Bez's lead and be a skeptic.
 
I can't get western Alfalfa for $110 a ton try $150 to $200. And I can't pasture the whole place, it wouldn't make good sense.
 
What if I just bought a chopper, I have the trucks have a concrete pad perfect for a silage/haylage pit. fill it/ cover/ feed it come winter? What are your thoughts? Fields are close fuel wouldn't be that big of a deal.
 
I have a wrapper an Anderson. It is a very good machine and very powerful. You can wrap around 100 bales an hour. I have also two balers. Class 280 and a New Holland 644. The 644 is a toy compared with the Class.
The Anderson cost me $25,500.00 in 2005. If you wrap less than 800 bales a year.....that's a lot of money.
 

Latest posts

Top