In need of round baler advise for first timer

[jerry shannon]

This Spring I will be needing a good round baler to do roughly 30 acres of hay. Hay is for my own use. New field is coming in great with alfalfa, and grass. I use round bales. Either a 5x6 or a 6x6 bale. I also like them wrapped but that is not a deal breaker. I am looking at New Holland's either a 688 or 664. Thoughts on this please. JD or NH round baler. Wrapped or not wrapped? I am in Michigan. Is one any better than the other?

 

[Tx Jim]

I think you'll be hard stressed to find a 6X6 baler. To my knowledge Vermeer was the only manufacturer to build a 6X6 years back and it was very short production time frame. I'm partial to JD rd balers as that's all I've owned. JD's are easy to operate and make a good,tight bale of hay.

 

[bigbull338]

a 5 by 6 is the biggest baler made today.whatever baler you get have it put in the shop an gotten field ready.itll save you time money an breakdowns.

 

[foreman Etexas]

Net.wrap is great but make sure has twine also, cause it can be a pain sometime to line out with any brand. I have a Vermeer but would pick the JD over the NH. Had some really bad days in field with a NH, buddy of mine runs nothing but the JD balers. I didn't go with JD cause the price(wouldn't look as good behind a Kubota either), instead of buying a used bigger baler(dang could have had reason to tell the wife need big tractor), I purchased a new 4x5 instead(23,000 with all the options), happy with my Rebel so far...

Speaking of the net.wrap being a pain when I was coming back from town earlier one was giving the baler guy the blues. Im pretty sure it was a NH,will check tomorrow but those bales looked terrible,it was balling all up in the middle and leaving a long tail. Net is really nice,super quick thou over string but if you haven't used it,its fine not having it but once you do,its something you'll always wont to have,even with those days....

 

[Sysop]

Everyone locally pretty much uses Vermeer here as well. Occasionally you'll see a New Holland or JD, but not often and they're usually old.

 

[Tx Jim]

Around where I live one would wear out a pickup looking for 2 late model Vermeer rd balers baling hay. It's amazing the difference a good dealer has to do with the type equipment being used in a certain locale.

 

[econometrics]

Around where I live one would wear out a pickup looking for 2 late model Vermeer rd balers baling hay. It's amazing the difference a good dealer has to do with the type equipment being used in a certain locale.

Really true. The local Kubota dealer claims, on their radio ad, to be the #1 dealer in tractor sales and service in Smith County. I'm not really sure I believe that, because I see so much green in the fields around here... but anyway.

That dealer sells Vermeer equipment, and there are a LOT of guys running Vermeer balers behind their Kubotas in our county. (ala foreman Etexas)

 

[foreman Etexas]

I think Vermeer and kubota have now teamed up. I bought mine from the new holland dealer,my kubota dealer sells all hay equipment(KUHN)but balers(something years ago happened and quit,all I know fire at dealer burnt up a lot up),the NH dealer has best baler mechanics around. I was picking on them at the time cause,they always try and get me to buy a NH tractor and the brochure they have on Vermeer balers has all kubotas pulling them...

 

[Tx Jim]

There was a poster from Tenn. on several tractor discussion forums that stated that Vermeer was the #1 seller of hay equipment in the USA. I called Vermeer home office in Pella,Ia and the person on the phone DECLINED to back up that story. I'm not stating that Vermeer hay equip isn't good as they make/sell good hay equipment as I own a M7030 disc cutter.

 

[Bigfoot62]

I've been around hay equipment all my life. I've only bought my own in the last few years. Before that, I paid someone else to bale mine.

IMHO,
My choice for a round baler would be:
1. JD That's what I bought and it's what I wanted. If it's working as it should, no other baler will roll as tight and even as a JD.
2. Vermeer That's what I would have bought if I hadn't found a good used JD.
3. NH And, it's a distant third place. However, I would consider one if I just couldn't get a JD or Vermeer. NH makes a good small square baler, but I'm just not a big fan of the round balers.

Just my opinion. And my opinion, plus 50 cents, might get you a half cup of coffee in some places.