Hay harvesting options for compact tractors.

cowboydoc · Feb 26, 2003

CCI,

There are certainly numerous balers made. A person needs to get whatever works best for their situation, be it a 750 lb. or a 2000 lb. baler. I still wouldn't run or would I recommend even the smallest round baler that vermeer, jd, hesston, or new holland makes on a compact utility tractor. Even for the smallest balers you're going to need a good size utility tractor in my opinion.

Phred · Feb 26, 2003

While I don't have as much expereince on this issue as doc, CCI and sweets.....

I will say that when I researched the issue I found that 70 hp tractor was about the smallest tractor that most folks would recommend with a round baler. Yes some of the literature claims that smaller tractors will do the job. But when you ask actual users they will tell you that its optimistic unless your ground is completely flat. Even then you are likely to get sloppy bales that are not well formed.

A full 4x5 balier is what 5000 lbs? Thats a lot of load for a compact to safely handle.

I have talked to a several people that bought and traded up or are unhappy with the results the obtained due to marginal Hp. In some cases these were 60-65 gross hp tractors.

Fred

HayDR · Feb 27, 2003

Phred,
We, Carter & Carter Machinery , have sold over a 1,000 5x4 balers to farmers that have 40-60 HP tractors, not compacts but 2 and 4 wheel drive utility tractors. We are located in the mountains and its done that way here with ease.

MikePA · Feb 27, 2003

This post is not directed at anyone specific, just a general observation. Based upon reading all these posts, the 2 major requirements for baling hay are;

1. Sufficient tractor PTO horsepower to run the baler.
2. Sufficient tractor weight to both pull the baler and control it in all field conditions you might encounter.

This is a similar discussion that occurs on TBN from time to time about how much truck do you need to pull a certain sized trailer.

Since no two field conditions are identical and what I call a montain in PA might be different for someone living in Colorado, our experiences and thus our recommendations will be different. However, just like the truck/trailer debate, what can be done and what should be done are two different things with the key issue being safety.

Selecting the minimum hp and minimum sized tractor, means little room for error. Wetter hay, wetter field, too sharp a turn at the wrong time and you have a recipe for tragedy.

Where safety, either mine or those around me, is concerned I identify what it will take to do the job right. If I don't have the correct equipment or can't afford it, I pay someone else to do the job.

JTD · Feb 27, 2003

I recently bought a NH 648 round baler and this year we'll be using my neighbor's tractor. My compact (JD4700) really isn't designed for this type of work on my rolling hill hay fields. Your comments are well taken. I'll be searching for a used tractor in the 70 to 90 hp range for the next couple of years, purchasing it after I finish the barn. I like the NH TL and TS models but the cost is high.

HayDR · Feb 27, 2003

Carter & Carter Machinery has 1,000's of satisfied customers baling dry hay, 12-20% moisture, with Vermeer balers with 40-60 HP utility tractors, not compacts. It is just not necessary to put a 70-90 HP tractor to a 5x4 Vermeer baler. The baler will love the extra HP but it is not needed. It is best to match the implement to the tractor and or job to be done. We baled haylage, 40-55% moisture, this year with a JD 2355 and a Vermeer 554XL baler. When baling haylage it requires 10-15 extra HP but we still had no problems. Now if you want to bale 6x5 bales yes a 70-100 HP tractor is ideal. Look at he market there are 25% more 5x4 balers sold than 6x5 balers in the USA. In my area it is 10 to 1, 5x4 to 6x5. For dry hay we use a 6x5 baler and a JD4055 tractor, after all we are in the mountains.

timb · Feb 28, 2003

Regarding matching the implement to the tractor and vice-versa - does anyone here have any experience with or can comment on the smallest end of "real" round balers? I'm talking specifically about the "30" series Hesstons (530, 730, now 830) or possibly one or two others that come in at the very smallest range of the respective baler lines. Balers that put together relatively small 500lb-700lb bales.

If a 6000 lb "smaller" utility tractor (say maybe 7500lb ballasted) can handle a 4000lb baler producing a 1200-1500 lb bale, is it way off base to ask a 3500 lb CUT (call it 4500 with ballest) to handle a 2500-3000 lb baler cranking out a 500lb bale? (Of course assuming sufficient PTO hp) At face value it seems like the tail-to-dog ratios are about the same.

While I know there are some really small balers sized for compacts - chances are that one of those would have to be bought new. With the limited area I could hay (under 25 acres baled - maybe even under 10 acres) the only way I'll ever be able to "justify" a baler will be a well used unit. There are always plenty of "standard" sized balers out there for sale but occasionally one of these smaller-end ones does show up. From a pure buck$ perspective I can't really justify haying equipment myself (much less a 2nd tractor to run it) - it's just something I'd like to be able to do if possible - and with a CUT the size of JD4710/TC45 etc., which otherwise seems to fit my needs pretty well.

Tim

MikePA · Feb 28, 2003

If someone accepts your premise ("smaller" utility tractor can handle a 4000lb baler producing a 1200-1500 lb bale) as being safe, then your conclusion (a 3500 lb CUT to handle a 2500-3000 lb baler cranking out a 500lb bale) is not off base since in each example the tractor is pulling about 75% of it's weight. 73% in the case of your utility tractor example, 78% in the case of the compact tractor example. Is it safe enough? As this thread has shown, opinions vary. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

HayDR · Feb 28, 2003

If you want to harvest hay even with the Hesston 530 you will need a utility tractor, if JD then a 5000 series tractor. A 5103 will do the job on the smaller baler. I would not purchase this baler new because this baler is often traded in the first 3 years because customers realize they want a larger bale than a 500-700 LBS bale. We have good used ones traded in all the time and you can save $3,000-5,000 if you buy a used baler.

Anonymous Poster · Feb 28, 2003

Hi Tim--The pricing on the smaller round balers are very unreasonable new or used for what they can do--Mfgrs are just trying to gouge the hobby/small estate operator. We have many farmers in Ky that need to put up rolled hay and dont have much disposable income. Usually they will purchase a older NH 850 roller for arount $1500 (big roll) and pick up a older 560 Farmall tractor for $2500. Now they are ready to roll and the old big tractor comes in handy for other jobs also. It dont take genius to figure out the math, a $4000 investment and he is roll baling hay on his schedule and not when someone can work him into the custom baling situation.(with this setup, he does have the option to make the rolls large or small to fit his specific needs)--Ken Sweet
Sweet Farm Equipment Co.