why are large square balers so $$$$

[EKUgrad]

I don't get it. They sure look like they would be easier to transport than the rounds, but the cost is prohibitive. Does anyone know if there is more loss with them? Thanks.

 

[LimiMan]

Because you can feed how ever much you want when you want to and not have to feed the whole thing.

 

[shorty]

A few years ago before I had my round baler I rented one , it worked really nice , the bales are easier to handle and haul ,they are nicer to feed if you don't need to feed the whole bale at a time. I would love to have one instead of my round baler but they are just too expensive and my biggest tractor is just not big enough to pull it on my hills, When I used that one I had to rent a tractor with it.

 

[EKUgrad]

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you have to pay to rent it? I wonder if it would be cost-effective to form a co-op and go from farm to farm baling for people. The upfront cost is something that is hard to swallow (but not absolutely prohibitive), but I simply don't need one enough to justify it. What are you guys thoughts?

 

[shorty]

They charged me $6 for a 3x3x8 bale that included twine and delivery and pickup, It was a John Deere ,I put 10 hours on new 7810 fwd at $25/hour I made 400 bales in that 10 hours. the bales went between 600-700 lbs.

 

[shorty]

There are custom balers around that do it for about the same as I did to rent but you can hardly get them when you want them . New balers are around $60 K and used ones are $30k or more.I store all dry hay inside, but I know these would not store well outside without being covered

 

[farmguy]

The big squares stack nice but one good rain on them and you have nothing, large flat surface will not shed water.

 

[jerry27150]

thought they were supposed to be tied so tight with wire that rain wouldn't get in. i hae known of some guys that sell them & they stack them three high outside all year. never heard of anyone saying anything about spoilage

 

[Bernard]

What do you use to haul and stack these heavy bales, especially inside? And what do you use when you haul them out to the cattle?

 

[greatgerts]

When we used the big square bales, the guy we bought them from sold us some pieces to bolt down on the existing bale fork so that the new bales could be handled. The only bad thing was, that sometimes, when you turned the tilt down part of the bale stayed on the fork. But, probably a lot easier than having to buy a totally new piece of equipment since now we buy from someone else.