Inline vs Traditional small Square Balers?

[jerry shannon]

As for weeds,, our field was used for soy beans the last23 years. These are "Roundup" resistant beans so the field has been well sprayed over the last few years. We disked very well, broadcast seeded and rolled the seed down a couple of weeks ago. Don't expect much this firs few months regardless. Thanks for the advise. Will think on it. I think we have a much shorter season here in Michigan then you have out there pardner.

 

[jerry shannon]

Hey AKfish. I saw an earlier post from you that you rototilled up 25foot of chain. I have one better. My wife was hand tilling her garden a couple of years ago and dug up a Hand Grenade! Really! We called the state police and the trooper came up, looked at itin the tines of the tiller and jumped back and yelled Hand Grenade!!!!!! He called the bomb squad out and it was a genuine WW2 grenade. It turned out to be a practice grenade with no powder in it. Top That!!

 

[jerry shannon]

Hey AKfish. I saw an earlier post from you that you rototilled up 25foot of chain. I have one better. My wife was hand tilling her garden a couple of years ago and dug up a Hand Grenade! Really! We called the state police and the trooper came up, looked at itin the tines of the tiller and jumped back and yelled Hand Grenade!!!!!! He called the bomb squad out and it was a genuine WW2 grenade. It turned out to be a practice grenade with no powder in it. Top That!!

 

[AKfish]

Hey AKfish. I saw an earlier post from you that you rototilled up 25foot of chain. I have one better. My wife was hand tilling her garden a couple of years ago and dug up a Hand Grenade! Really! We called the state police and the trooper came up, looked at itin the tines of the tiller and jumped back and yelled Hand Grenade!!!!!! He called the bomb squad out and it was a genuine WW2 grenade. It turned out to be a practice grenade with no powder in it. Top That!!

I don't think I'd really care to top that... could be the end of my tractorin' days! Sounds like you've got a handle on much of things. Likely only get 1 cutting this season with all new grass comin' in.

Horses do best on lower protein and lower carbohydrate (starches and sugars) forage. "Hot" forage like alfalfa is not a good regimen for them. The bias or dislike that many folk's have with first cutting hay is that it tends to be coarse with heavier stems and stalks. So, there's a higher percentage of undigestible or low digestible cellulose, hemi-cellulose and lignin. Cows do real well on that stuff with the help of the bacteria in their rumen - horses not as well.

Nonetheless, they'll eat it - right up - unless it's moldy or just one step away from mold with brown and blackened leaves and stems. That's where horses really draw the line... moldy, brown or blackened hay. Hay that's been put up at too high a moisture content and/or not allowed to cure in a well-ventilated, dry location. They'll cough and heave and pick thru it and finally just lay on top of it while using it as a toilet!

I like my tedder. And I like mowing with a mower-conditioner that helps to break the stems and stalks open, allowing for a quicker dry down and hay cure. With frequent rain and cool temps; I need every advantage I can get to achieve a good cured bale that will keep until the following June when I can usually turn my horses out to pasture.

AKfish

 

[gargoyleridge]

I just bought a NH 479 haybine ($1400), a NH 56 rake ($950), and a McCormick 46 square baler ($400). I have invested about $150 in parts and manuals and I'm ready for my first haying. I see in another post where they mentioned a $10k or $50k investment and I just can't justify that. Craigslist has lots of used equipment and if you inspect it carefully and are handy with a wrench, you should be able to find cheap equipment that will get you rolling. In my case, I had concerns about the baler, as it has a terrible reputation for bad knotters.. Should it turn out to be a pain in the neck, I can scrap it for more than I paid. If that happens, I will stay with square bales, but jump to New Holland. If you find a specific model, do a google search and you can find lots of chats about issues others are having.

I skipped the tedder. Bar rake and a haybine should do the trick, based on advice that I have received. Bar rakes are fairly cheap and very easy to maintenance (so far at least).

If you find equipment local, you can compare prices on tractorhouse.com. I used that and craigslist. The dealers selling used equipment wanted a huge markup for their stuff and it wasn't in any better shape.

Best of Luck

 

[JBlk]

Jerry, small bales are easy to handle but you need to get them out of the weather unless you can find an old AC rotor baler.Thse are small round bales that livestock really like because its just hay rolled from the windrow without cut ends like the square baler.New Holland made a square baler that works good as well as JD, but the JD is usually more expensive.Twine is the best way to go because wire is expensive.You should also look for a rake that has the tedder feature or invest in a hay conditioner.The tedder is handy if your hay gets wet so you can spread it out to dry.Big round bales are easy for on man to handle but you get alot of waste which is much eaiser to control with the small bales.My opinion is that the second cutting of grass hay is much better that the first.

 

[jerry shannon]

Thank you very much. Good feedback.

 

[jerry shannon]

I'm with you on this. I do not expect to get much out of my new field this year. May be a good season to practice. I will be buying hay for this fall. I have good pasture for my horses till fall when the growing season stops. I was planning on a NH mower, a NH bar rake and NH square bailer. As it is mostly my wife and I and in my early 60's, I may be tempted to switch to a round bailer for the handling aspects. I have a Bobcat 863 Turbo and can move rounds around without a problem. Thank you for the advise.

 

[jerry shannon]

Good thoughs. Due to the drought this past summer,, we have had to use alot of 2nd cutting and the horses like it fine. For that matter,, my animals seem to eat everything. That's why I have one that founders and has to be in a dry lot for spring, summer and fall. Round bales would be better for me to handle as I dont need a group of locals to come in and help stack, and I can move them around with my Bobcat and a bucket spear. I have a good barn so keeping them dry and ventilated is not an issue. Is a good used round baler more expensive than a square bailer?

 

[jerry shannon]

My list for hay equipement thus far is a NH mower, a NH bar rake model 55 or 56 and a NH 276, 273 or 315. That's if I go square bails. If I go to round bales then I am not sure. I only need around 500 to 600 bales per year. My hay field will be roughly 22 to 24 acres. If I have a good year I would plan on selling 1st and 3rd cutting and if that is the case, I think square bales would be easier for folks to come in and pick up. Again,, not sure yet. I would rather pick up a round bale with my skidsteer than hand stack and handle a buch of square bales for my use and for people coming in to pick up hay.