Questions on handling round bales

[Z-Michigan]

After a lot of debate, my wife and I are seriously considering getting our hayfield baled as rounds instead of small squares, since we're not sure how available extra hands will be for putting up squares. Since I haven't handled rounds before, I have a few questions. Let me say first - I know not to lift a round bale with anything but a spear, so I don't need a warning/reminder. Here goes:

1) We would like to store bales stacked 2-high in our horse barn. The barn is conventional pole construction and shouldn't have any side loads put on it, so we're thinking of rotating the bales to sit on the flat end and then stacking them two high. First, with a loader-mounted bale spear, will I have any problem tilting a bale that was initially picked up with the spear in the flat end so that I can have the bale on its flat end? Second, once its sitting on the flat end, will I have any trouble putting the spear through the round side so I can stack two-high with flat to flat ends?

2) I don't currently own any bale spears. Our hayfields are 600+ feet from our barn. I am thinking I would halve my work time by buying both 3ph and FEL mounted spears to carry two bales per trip. Any reason this isn't a good idea? I am using a 5105 utility tractor with MFWD and I have 3000lbs rated 3ph lift and 2200lbs rated FEL lift.

3) While I'm planning to carry bales two at a time from hayfield to barn area, once it gets to the task of precise manuevering in the barn I'm not sure I have enough room to move with a bale sticking off the back, so I would need to lift a bale at the FEL without a corresponding bale on the rear. I have filled tires (1500lbs). Realizing that rear ballast is always a good thing for FEL work, am I likely to be able to place the bales inside the barn without having the extra 1000lbs or so on my 3ph?

4) Any other issues I should know of in advance before we get into this? Our alternative is trying to draft friends and relatives 3x a year at unpredictable times (whenever the nearby farmer bales our hay).

 

[daTeacha]

My first thought is why not use the large square bales? They will stack easier and you can readily peel "flakes" from them if you don't want to feed the whole bale at one time. We got some big alfalfa bales this year for the sheep after the wife had worked with small squares for a long time. She thought it was so nice that we will be getting our grass hay in big squares this year, too.

My tractor is rated to pick up 1200 lb with the FEL. I have about 900 lb of concrete on the hitch and 260 on the wheels with no load in the tires. That's enough to keep the back end down when I try to lift something big enough to stall the tractor. It's pretty common around here to see tractors moving down the road with a speared bale on each end, so that will probably work just fine. Are you thinking one spear or 3 on each end?

What kind of floor are you moving around on? With no weight on the back, you will have almost all the weight of the tractor and bale on the front tires. Turning them will put some pretty good forces on a wood floor, maybe tearing up a board or two at an inopportune moment. My FIL won't let a skid steer in the top of his barn for that reason.

You can cast a substantial 3 point weight out of concrete. Mine was made by building a box out of OSB, appropriately reinforced to hold the stuff in while it sets. Pop the forms off after it's thoroughly hardened. There was a piece of PVC placed through the box to leave a left-right hole into which I have inserted a steel rod that serves as pickup points for the lift arms, and a piece of steel with bollts and washers set into the top. I welded some large angle iron to that, drilled a pair of holes through the angle, and that's where the top link connects. It works well and is more compact than a ballast box, not to mention a lot cheaper. I suppose you could paint it to match your tractor if that's a concern. Concrete has a density of about 68 pounds per cubic foot if I remember right, but if you put fieldstones in the box prior to pouring the concrete in the overall density will be higher.

I have a grapple on my bucket which I hope to use to move the "big" grass squares this year. These will be about 3' on the small sides and about 8' long. The guy we got the alfalfa from moves those BIG bales (4 to 5' on the small sides, 8' long) with two spears on a skid steer. There are assorted root grapples that might work to handle your rounds from the side if you wish, and I have even seen an implement that lets you grab the bale, lift it, then rotate it so you can stand it on end in the barn if you want to.

Have fun!

 

[mjarrels]

I have large round bales stacked three high... large bank barn.

mark

 

[Z-Michigan]

My first thought is why not use the large square bales? They will stack easier and you can readily peel "flakes" from them if you don't want to feed the whole bale at one time. We got some big alfalfa bales this year for the sheep after the wife had worked with small squares for a long time. She thought it was so nice that we will be getting our grass hay in big squares this year, too.

My tractor is rated to pick up 1200 lb with the FEL. I have about 900 lb of concrete on the hitch and 260 on the wheels with no load in the tires. That's enough to keep the back end down when I try to lift something big enough to stall the tractor. It's pretty common around here to see tractors moving down the road with a speared bale on each end, so that will probably work just fine. Are you thinking one spear or 3 on each end?

What kind of floor are you moving around on? With no weight on the back, you will have almost all the weight of the tractor and bale on the front tires. Turning them will put some pretty good forces on a wood floor, maybe tearing up a board or two at an inopportune moment. My FIL won't let a skid steer in the top of his barn for that reason.

Thanks! First, I would love to use large squares, but they are not commonly in use here in Michigan. I am limited to whatever the custom farmer has; I believe he has round and small square balers, but not large square. If he happens to have a large square baler, I will be looking into that route.

I was planning to use one spear at each end; each would be the type that has a single big spear (42" long) and two smaller stabilizing prongs (maybe 10" long). I will have to buy Frontier for the FEL due to my JD quick attach, and probably something basic like "Farm Force" for the rear 3ph.

The barn floor is compacted sand, and if I screw it up it's no big deal to fix it with a drag or blade. I have MFWD so traction shouldn't be an issue. I just don't want to worry about tipping over forward, especially if I would be hitting the barn wall at the same time! We have a fairly nice 5 horse barn but it wasn't designed with significant hay storage in mind. Since we have two horses and hope to be down to one in a month, and since our hayfield should produce something like 25 tons of hay annually, we are looking to use it for storage as much as we can. It would be easier to store the small squares, but we have no ready cheap labor and I don't look forward to putting up 500 bales 3x/year.

 

[Egon]

In Alberta many people stack two high. The bottom bale is set on end with the top bale set flat on top. These are usually the large round bales.

Doing it this way would let you spear the bales conventionally and bring to shed. The bottom one could be flipped and pushed in place. The top one is conventionally speared and placed.

Your back, your wife and many friends will thank you for going to bales that must be handled mechanically. Throw a party!

 

[mlauk]

I think your tractor could handle round 4x5 bales, but I would be concerned with anything larger. I agree with Egon, to put the bottom bale on end and the top bale in a normal position on top, otherwise it would be to difficult to spear because of the height. I've never tried spearing a bale on the round side, but have picked up bales sitting on the end by spearing from top and backing up and tilting FEL up. Another thought for reducing travel time is to hook a trailer up on the 3 point to carry 3 bales (16 foot trailer) and one on the FEL.

 

[tydp]

Second, once its sitting on the flat end, will I have any trouble putting the spear through the round side so I can stack two-high with flat to flat ends?

YES! I have tried to unload 5x6 bales from a trailer on the side. I COULD NOT get the spear through the side of the bale. I had to pull them off with a chain (tractor too wide M9540 to get on trailer to spear in the end). With hay "forks" you could lift them from underneath but would then have a problem trying to stack them.....

 

[Soundguy]

I'v had no luck spearing a bale from the side.. of course my spear is a 3pt spear.

I do however move bales with my loader bucket.. No spear.. the buckets too far out as it is on my older machinery. i just cup the bale from the side, and then lift it an inch to get a ratched strap around it and the bucket and strap it in and go.. Even my old antique tractors move a bale fine this way.. and yes.. I can stack them 2 high this way.

You can take post hole diggers and sink 2-3 fence posts in the ground near the sides of the barn.. set your bales near them flat side out.. just like you speared them.. then you can stack them 2 high without fear of them rolling and side loading your barn. I have stacked 2 high in the pasture doing this with a tarp over them... if your fence posts are in the ground good.. the bales don't budge any.. My hay movers are an old 1955 ford 660 and ford 850 both with 1-arm laoders... Spear goes onthe cat 2 tractors.. ford 5000 or 7610s ( usually the 5000 as i leave the 7610s hooked to the mower most of the time.. )

Soundguy

 

[Z-Michigan]

I'm learning lots here, appreciate all the posts. Sounds like I shouldn't expect to spear through the side, but that shouldn't keep me from stacking two high anyway, with at least two options for doing that. Any more comments - keep em coming.

 

[BTDT]

Since we have two horses and hope to be down to one in a month, and since our hayfield should produce something like 25 tons of hay annually, we are looking to use it for storage as much as we can. It would be easier to store the small squares, but we have no ready cheap labor and I don't look forward to putting up 500 bales 3x/year.

Since you only have one horse (or soon only one), why not just sell him/her too, then let custom hay guy cut your hay, and sell it. Lot less work for you, and your making money.