How big a tractor for making roll bales?

[Birch Hill Farm]

How big of a tractor as far as engine hp and pto hp does it take to operate a roll baler? Like something making 5'x5' bales? We have a International 444 with a around 42 engine hp and 38 pto hp. It has weighted wheels and is a heavy old tractor that has no trouble making square bales with a massy 12 square baler. I would like to up grade soon to making roll bales do to the the number of square bales that we have to make and the limited availability of help. Roll bales would save me so much time and would make doing hay a one man job. Just wondering if our tractor is up to the job.
Thanks.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

In these parts more seem to be in the 100 HP range vs <50 HP.

Are you flat or hilly?

 

[sweettractors]

A smaller 4x4 baler would probably work if you don't have too many hills and hollers. Call Greg at 1-888-478-1343 and see what he says. Ken Sweet

 

[Bird]

Look at what the baler manufacturer recommends as minimum horsepower. I've seen some as low as 50 hp and think that would be risky. I've only used an 85 hp Oliver and 100 hp John Deere and was making 5' x 5' bales.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I saw a guy the other day pulling one with a small CUT Kubota of maybe 50 HP. I dont know much about HP requirements for round balers but I would think an "old iron" tractor like the 444 would handle it fine. The bales are going to be around 1000-1200 lbs. so your tractor should hold that much weight in check even on a hill. I cant see it taking a whole bunch of power to roll it.

 

[bucktaker]

I think a 50 hp Utility tractor should do it on semi level ground... Weight will always help .I think it takes more hp to mow hay than run any baler

 

[Birch Hill Farm]

Thanks for the replys! On these hp numbers, is this pto hp or engine hp that every one is talking about? This part of ky is rolling hills, nothing I cut is very steep but, in some of the fields there is enough of a hill that I wont pull a wagon behind the baler. I assume that the bale size is adjustable on most balers?

 

[bigbull338]

a 50 hp pto tractor would pull a 4 by 5 baler.you really need a 70 pto hp tractor to pull a 4 by 6 or a 5 by 5 baler.

 

[cowski]

you can run a ih 241 6x5 baler with a 444.horsepower requirements vary greatly between balers.i would check out the vermeer rebel balers.your tractor will be heavy enough but you need a low horsepower baler.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Heston also sells a baler that you can pull with your tractor, I think it is a 4x4 or 4x5 bale. I like a 4ft wide bale if you have to haul them as they load better.

 

[fowllife]

Thanks for the replys! On these hp numbers, is this pto hp or engine hp that every one is talking about? This part of ky is rolling hills, nothing I cut is very steep but, in some of the fields there is enough of a hill that I wont pull a wagon behind the baler. I assume that the bale size is adjustable on most balers?

All these hp number are going to be PTO hp, thats all that matters for a baler (that and tractor wieght)

No, not all rounf balers have an adjustable chamber. Some of the older balers are soft core, or fixed chamber balers. The only start applying tension to compress the hay when the chamber gets full. Most of the newer belt balers will all be hard core with an adjustable chamber & bale size.

Honestly I doubt your tractor has anough power to make a decent 5x5 bale. Even it it did I think your asking for trouble pulling it in hills. Even with loaded rears your probably only at about 5,000lbs. A 4,000lb baler with a 1500lb bale in it will be more then you can handle. You may be able to handle a 4x4, or 4x5, but thats all the bigger I would go with your tractor. Even that may be sketchy on hills.

I would look for something in the 70hp range, and 8,000lbs. You need hp to make a tight bale. If you don't make them tight they will fall apart. You need weight to be able to control it on hills. More hp and more weight is always better.

 

[Bob Ha]

I agree with fowllife. We have 62hp (PTO) and bale 4x5 with our Kubota M7040 with inclines but no hills. I does the job but struggles at times. We have it set on max (1200lbs). Get those bales as tight as possible.

 

[deadmoose]

My experience with a CUT l3400 and a m7040 on the same baler has taught me a lot. My Hesston 5530 3*4 baler was all the l could handle but it did it. The m does it with ease. I would think the above poster has it. Look for a low hp requirement hardcore 4*5. Then you could make 4*4 or 4*5. Any bigger would be a lot for 38pto to handle. Even 4*5 could be pushing it there. It would pull a 3*4 with ease.

 

[Verticaltrx]

We have a 446 JD round baler (4x4 bales) and use it with a 65hp tractor and an 82hp tractor. The 65hp seems ideal for this size baler, the 82hp is probably a little too much, you can put hay into it faster than you should which is hard on the pickup/rollers/driveline. We did try pulling it one time with a 40hp tractor and it was miserable. In anything but very light hay and flat ground 40hp was vastly insufficient.

For a 4x4 baler I'd recommend 50-60hp minimum, for a 5x5 as you mentioned I'd want at least 80hp.

 

[Bigfoot62]

I use a JD 457 round baler. Nominal bale weight is 1100 lbs. Minimum hp requirement @ the PTO is 55. I have 70 pto, 85 engine. I roll hay on about 90 acres. I wouldn't want to try it with any less.

As some have said, you might look at a 4x4 or even a 3x4 baler. You could possibly get by with one of those.

Short answer: You might just barely make it with a lesser hp tractor, but it won't be any fun.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

This would be a good task for some 100 HP 'old iron'.

 

[Zscoop33]

My tractor dealer told a m6040 kubota was to small for a 4x5 baler that the hydraulics were not strong enough to hold a good tight baler. So sold it bought a m9540 with Vermeer 504n baler and in low gear fourth it slows down at times and does strain engine. If u are baling small rows and I mean small u may be able. I think u will have more trouble than it is worth. Real tick grass will make big rows and kill that tractor even going super slow.

 

[foreman Etexas]

I use a Kubota 7040 with a Vermeer REBEL 5410(5x4) and it does good windrows are usually light around here and the hills are small long grades. I wouldnt wonna go any smaller than the 64pto I have,even if its rated for 50hp it better be flat ground and not be in a hurry..

 

[foreman Etexas]

7040 Kubota / Vermeer REBEL 5410 (1) - YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWArm1vrnUU

 

[Birch Hill Farm]

Thanks for the replys! This is the kind of information I was looking for, real hands on experience. As we get more into farming we are going to need a bigger tractor so this gives me more of an idea of the size we will need. Any one know on these smaller roll bales what their equivalent would be in square bale? It seems to me it may not be worth it to get such a small baler for our 444 due to how difficult storing small round bales would be. At least with the squares we make now, they can fit into the loft for storage. Also, on a side note we are going to need a bigger bush hog mower soon, we have a 5' mower right now and it takes countless hours to clip the fields. We have about 40-50 acres that we would need to mow any where from 1-2 times per year. What size mower would be reasonable with this amount of acres and what kind of pto hp requirements would it have? Thanks.