Round baler high moisture hay advice

[Case970]

I'm looking to replace my old NH round baler with something that can handle high moisture grass hay - 50 to 60% I got a price on a new NHL 450 Utility and dealer said it will handle high moisture, but 60% moisture may be a bit much for the rolls. I'm ok with baling slightly drier, but just debating whether to spend on a new 450 or buy something used. I do around 500 round bales a year. Is the 450 utility a good option? What are some good used round balers that can handle high moisture hay? My neighbor has an older Gehl 1475 TDC and it seems to work well.

 

[JimB77]

I think most newer model balers designed to bale high moisture hay built by several different manufacturers will do what you desire. I've read where foreign built balers such as Krone & Kubota are very good high moisture hay balers.

 

[tractor432]

Hi I iron the hay below 15%

 

[sea2summit]

Pretty much need to look at a silage quality baler if you're looking at that high of a moisture content.

 

[Farmer495]

Looks like about a $25K CDN difference between RF 450 Utility and 450 Roll Belt Silage Special. (50K versus 75K)

The RF 450 is a fixed chamber roller baler, no belts, I don't see why it won't handle silage. People ran the old Krone and Gehl roller balers here to make haylage long before NH or Deere dreamt of silage kits.

I made several hundred bales of haylage with a hay only belt baler, but I'm thinking $50k new baler, or $15K-20K used silage special for 500 bales a year, I can buy a set of new belts, new CV shaft and do all the bearings if needed for less than 10k. 4x5 silage specials with net wrap are the most common used baler here, NH/CaseIH & Deere being the common ones with MF/Hesston and Kubota being next in line

 

[RickB]

The RF is a rebadged European baler. I wouldn't bet on NH keeping it around or supporting it long term. Look elsewhere if you decide on a fixed chamber baler.

 

[LouNY]

Any baler that is rated for silage will work.
I'm assuming you are going to be wrapping those bales,
squeeze grapples work the best for handling those.
Also, we find it better to bring the bales close to were they will be fed out to wrap them,
once wrapped they do not like handling. also, once silaged they become very soft and spongy to handle.

 

[Farmer495]

The RF is a rebadged European baler. I wouldn't bet on NH keeping it around or supporting it long term. Look elsewhere if you decide on a fixed chamber baler.

I was thinking that myself, local NH had a RF440 on the lot for a couple seasons, not sure where it went, looked odd compared to all the silage specials.

MF has a budget 1745D 4x5 which I am thinking is the cheapest new 4x5 baler on the market now and is a tried Hesston design that has been around a long time. Doesn't look like a silage special by any means, but I'd think it would handle 4x4 haylage easily.

 

[5030]

I'm looking to replace my old NH round baler with something that can handle high moisture grass hay - 50 to 60% I got a price on a new NHL 450 Utility and dealer said it will handle high moisture, but 60% moisture may be a bit much for the rolls. I'm ok with baling slightly drier, but just debating whether to spend on a new 450 or buy something used. I do around 500 round bales a year. Is the 450 utility a good option? What are some good used round balers that can handle high moisture hay? My neighbor has an older Gehl 1475 TDC and it seems to work well.

I've had a 450 U for a while now and it's going down the road. Getting a Kubota Premium (Kneverland) 4x5. The 450 U will struggle with high moisture rounds. Other issue with the 450U is the pickup isn't wide enough and you need the gathering wheel kit which is an additional 1100 bucks. Mine will absolutely positively NOT run over the edge net, don't matter what brand either.

 

[Hay Dude]

I would look at a NH RB450 silage special.
I have a 2020 RB450 4x5 silage special. Just delivered 26 4x5’s this morning and they scaled at 950lb+ each.
The silage special will easily make 1000lb bales all day set at 1700lbs of pressure. They have a dual density system and you can adjust pressure from the cab. I bet it would make 1200lb bales at 18% if you wanted.
My average bale weight set at 1700-1800lb was a consistent 950lbs.
Im actually selling this baler. I’m pretty much done with round bales. I have a few beef producers left that don’t mind big square bales and honestly, big square bales are so much easier to handle & ship.