Hay accumulator/grapple

[ddbackhoe]

Who is using what kind and how well do you like it? Started baling some smaller places that the kicker and trailer arent the easiest to use with.

 

[CH4Ohio]

I'm using a Parrish 10 bale accumulator and grapple. I really like it, but I'm no longer running up and down the roads. Not sure if I'd want to drag it down the roads or through ditches, etc. Pretty much staying right here close to home now.

I like it real well. It's super simple. Down side is that after I get done baling, I still have to go pick them up. Nothing works better than a teenage boy on a wagon behind the baler. I just got to the point where I couldn't line up help and depend on them to show up when I needed them. I really don't miss that aggravation.

 

[Hay Dude]

I hear that. Left the small squares world 10 years ago and decided on the big bale exit strategy.
I was all set to get an accumulator and set up the barn for small squares, but it still doesnt eliminate all the handling.
With the new big bale feeders coming on line and the 2x3 and 3x3 big balers able to make a lighter big bale, it feels like small bales are an ever shrinking market.

 

[lman]

The guy that does my hay said he does a lot of hay for Amish and that they need small square bales. He uses a Kuhns accumulator and limits handling the bales.

 

[Hay Dude]

The guy that does my hay said he does a lot of hay for Amish and that they need small square bales. He uses a Kuhns accumulator and limits handling the bales.

Yes they are a customer of mine, too over in Lancaster County

 

[ddbackhoe]

I hear that. Left the small squares world 10 years ago and decided on the big bale exit strategy.
I was all set to get an accumulator and set up the barn for small squares, but it still doesnt eliminate all the handling.
With the new big bale feeders coming on line and the 2x3 and 3x3 big balers able to make a lighter big bale, it feels like small bales are an ever shrinking market.

Horse people still love small squares. They are kinda pain in the rear market that only wants 20-40 at a time too. Nice thing is they are willing to pay for the inconvenience. We took on a new lesson barn and she contracted for 2500 small squares. No labor with or without covid so I gotta do something different. One of my buddies just bought a bale bundler last year, but that’s not in my near future budget either.

 

[CH4Ohio]

I hear that. Left the small squares world 10 years ago and decided on the big bale exit strategy.
I was all set to get an accumulator and set up the barn for small squares, but it still doesnt eliminate all the handling.
With the new big bale feeders coming on line and the 2x3 and 3x3 big balers able to make a lighter big bale, it feels like small bales are an ever shrinking market.

Hey Hay Dude -- how much lighter are the "smaller" BIG bales? I haven't tried to handle a big bale for several years and it was one of those monsters that 5 men couldn't move.

 

[Hay Dude]

Typical 3x3 bales are about 700lbs. typical buyer just pulls a flake of of it and puts in stall feeder.
My 4x4s are 1500-2000lbs

 

[CH4Ohio]

Typical 3x3 bales are about 700lbs. typical buyer just pulls a flake of of it and puts in stall feeder.
My 4x4s are 1500-2000lbs

OK. Thanks. Interesting how the technology and options for hay bale size keep evolving. It takes a totally different class of equipment to handle those big square bales.

For my small operation and the horse people that use the hay, looks like I'll be sticking with small bales that we can toss around by hand for now.

 

[Hay Dude]

OK. Thanks. Interesting how the technology and options for hay bale size keep evolving. It takes a totally different class of equipment to handle those big square bales.

For my small operation and the horse people that use the hay, looks like I'll be sticking with small bales that we can toss around by hand for now.

What I see horse owners doing is buying a couple of the 3x3’s and hauling home on a small single axle trailer. Back trailer into barn or throw tarp over trailer if outside, cut strings, pull flakes off as needed.
Actually looks a heck of a lot easier than handling small bales. Couple old ladies near me have been doing that for 10-15 years now. A 3x3 bale flake is just right for stall feeding.
You don’t have to buy a bunch of small bales and store them.

 

[TheMan419]

What I see horse owners doing is buying a couple of the 3x3’s and hauling home on a small single axle trailer. Back trailer into barn or throw tarp over trailer if outside, cut strings, pull flakes off as needed.
Actually looks a heck of a lot easier than handling small bales. Couple old ladies near me have been doing that for 10-15 years now. A 3x3 bale flake is just right for stall feeding.
You don’t have to buy a bunch of small bales and store them.

You still have to buy the same tonnag of hay and store it regardless of the size and shape of the bale. I know in my horse operation I need about 27 tons of hay per year. If that is 1100 small squares or 80 ish 3x3 squares it still needs to be purchased, moved to my farm, unloaded and stored.

Problem I run into is no one wants to guarantee me storage for the winter. They want to sell out of the field on an as produced basis. However I know some of them have storage because I see them advertising hay for sale in the middle of winter. Good for them storing it and selling it when it will bring more $$ of course.

That all said it is not about the number of bales but the tonnage of hay you need for your particular operation.

For most of us horse folks we do not need a tractor large enough to move round or large squares for our operation. That is why we prefer the small squares. No need to buy a bigger tractor. I'd be pushing the limits of my tractor to lift a 700 pound 3x3 square. Not something I want to do all the time.

 

[ddbackhoe]

You still have to buy the same tonnag of hay and store it regardless of the size and shape of the bale. I know in my horse operation I need about 27 tons of hay per year. If that is 1100 small squares or 80 ish 3x3 squares it still needs to be purchased, moved to my farm, unloaded and stored.

Problem I run into is no one wants to guarantee me storage for the winter. They want to sell out of the field on an as produced basis. However I know some of them have storage because I see them advertising hay for sale in the middle of winter. Good for them storing it and selling it when it will bring more $$ of course.

That all said it is not about the number of bales but the tonnage of hay you need for your particular operation.

For most of us horse folks we do not need a tractor large enough to move round or large squares for our operation. That is why we prefer the small squares. No need to buy a bigger tractor. I'd be pushing the limits of my tractor to lift a 700 pound 3x3 square. Not something I want to do all the time.

Exactly what I see with some of our customers. Not everyone has or wants the ability to move bigger and store more. Storage is a problem for everyone and pricing becomes part of the challenge. If I sell you 1100 sm squares at say $4 off the field, what then becomes a fair price for me to haul, stack and store your hay to be dispensed at your pace? That’s ~ 5775 cubic feet of storage, ~ 5 trips with truck and trailer (~250 bales per, ~6 tons) + load/unload

 

[zzvyb6]

NH 1012 bale pickup wagon. Mine has the self unloading feature for dropping onto a trailer, into a PU bed, or into an elevator. Plus I can dump an entire stack of 56 and drive away.

 

[ddbackhoe]

NH 1012 bale pickup wagon. Mine has the self unloading feature for dropping onto a trailer, into a PU bed, or into an elevator. Plus I can dump an entire stack of 56 and drive away.

That might be a good option. Havent seen one of those around here.

 

[Hay Dude]

You still have to buy the same tonnag of hay and store it regardless of the size and shape of the bale. I know in my horse operation I need about 27 tons of hay per year. If that is 1100 small squares or 80 ish 3x3 squares it still needs to be purchased, moved to my farm, unloaded and stored.

Problem I run into is no one wants to guarantee me storage for the winter. They want to sell out of the field on an as produced basis. However I know some of them have storage because I see them advertising hay for sale in the middle of winter. Good for them storing it and selling it when it will bring more $$ of course.

That all said it is not about the number of bales but the tonnage of hay you need for your particular operation.

For most of us horse folks we do not need a tractor large enough to move round or large squares for our operation. That is why we prefer the small squares. No need to buy a bigger tractor. I'd be pushing the limits of my tractor to lift a 700 pound 3x3 square. Not something I want to do all the time.

Cant you get like 4 or 5 3x3’s on a small trailer, back trailer into barn, then simply remove flakes from the end of 3x3 bale as needed?
Then just go back and get 4 or 5 more?
Or have them delivered and stacked so ends of 3x3 are easily accessible on a daily basis and pull flakes off?
That way you don’t have to sit on a large quantity of hay and you pay less for big bales.
Just a thought, and not trying to say one is better than the other.
All the horse operations around me have gone to the 3x3 bale.
An old lady up the street with a couple yard ornament type horses just gets 1 or 2 at a time and leaves them on a tiny single axle trailer with a small tarp strapped over them. Piles flakes off as needed. Kinda laugh, but it works very well and she’s paying less than the equivalent of $3/small bale.
I agree big tractor is needed for 4x5 round bales. I mostly sell mine to beef raising operations and a few horse people.

 

[5030]

it feels like small bales are an ever shrinking market.

One reason why I sold my 575 las month.

 

[LHF2019]

Who is using what kind and how well do you like it? Started baling some smaller places that the kicker and trailer arent the easiest to use with.

Kuhns 1036f. We sell approx 17,000 squares a year with 90% being field pick. Bales never touch a wagon. We stack in field and customers load themselves. We offer 3 price points. Field pickup, prebuy and store, and winter sales. We are unable to keep up with demand.