Round baler pricing...

Robert_in_NY · Aug 9, 2004

Can you talk to a neighbor who has a baler already? I have my neighbor do my round bales and it cost me 2.35 for each 4x4 round he bales. I cut the fields and he bales. Works great for both of us as I don't have to maintain another machine or make the payment as they are not cheap as you have seen. Good luck though.

HayDR · Aug 10, 2004

With fuel prices the way they are breakeven is between $3-4 per bale for a 4x4 baler. You had better not tell your neighbor this.

cowboydoc · Aug 10, 2004

I agree with Mark. He almost has to be going in the hole doing those bales for that little. I figure my cost per bale is around $5.25 with wrap, fuel, and machinery expense on the 5x5's and $6.00 on the 6x5's.

Going rate here is $8-9 for twine wrapped bales and $10-12 for net wrapped bales.

Robert_in_NY · Aug 10, 2004

He priced it out after the first field. Our deal was $2 per bale plus expenses. I don't now how he figured out his expenses but he came back at 33 cents a bale for expenses so we just went to $2.35. Remember, all he does is bale it. I cut the field and prepare it for him.

cowboydoc · Aug 10, 2004

The prices I gave you are just for baling. It's about $12/acre to cut hay and $6/acre to rake hay. If I could get all my hay baled for $2.33 I wouldn't even own a baler!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Bird · Aug 11, 2004

The rancher I used to help with haying was charging $12.50 a bale to cut, rake, and bale 5 x 5 bales with twine; $13 a bale for 5 x 6, and after a couple of years quit doing that for other people because he figured there was no profit in it. And that's been 5 years ago. I'm like Cowboydoc; can't imagine anyone baling hay for $2.35 a bale.

Robert_in_NY · Aug 11, 2004

I will talk to him and ask him to recheck his figures. He is a nice guy but isn't the best at math. Thanks for bringing to my attention what round bales should cost as I would feel bad for him to lose much money as he can not afford to /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Chillimau · Aug 11, 2004

I just had some 4x6 round bales put up for $14 a bale. He uses a mower/conditioner and then bales. Went up a $1.00/bale this year for fuel.

Will a round baler and conditioner make 10,000 bales before they are worn out? I'm just guessing but to me that looks like about the minimum number of bales you would need to get out of the equipment to even think about custom baling.

HayDR · Aug 11, 2004

The very first Vermeer round baler CCM purchased in 1972 will still work today. We estimate this baler has close to 100,000 bales on it. We have one customer with a 1988 Vermeer 605J baler that bales 5,000-6,000 bales a year and his baler is still kicking them out just like it did in 1988 when new. The pickup on a Vermeer baler from I baler to today is designed to last 40,000- 80,000 bales. This depends on soil type and crops baled. Peanut hay is the hardest on a baler because the pickup is down in the soil, which is often very sandy.

cowboydoc · Aug 11, 2004

I sure hope they will go 10,000 bales, /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. I've got over 5000 bales on my 567 and it's only a year old! Seriously yes they will go way over 10,000 bales. I've got a 1460 mower conditioner that has probably done 30,000 plus acres over the last 10 years and it still runs like a top. I rebuilt the gear box last year and I put new knives on it every 3rd cutting. Aside from that it's been untouched.