Round bales

[whistlepig]

So we have a new horse boarder and she wants to go to round bales. I'm willing to give this a try. I have never fooled with round bales. For sure I would have to buy a spear. I don't even know how much a round bale weighs. Would my B7800 handle a round bale with a spear on the front loader or to I need to buy a three point spear?

 

[TomSeller]

So we have a new horse boarder and she wants to go to round bales. I'm willing to give this a try. I have never fooled with round bales. For sure I would have to buy a spear. I don't even know how much a round bale weighs. Would my B7800 handle a round bale with a spear on the front loader or to I need to buy a three point spear?

It depends on the bale size. See attached. Note that with the bale out front or out back you don't have as much lift as you do at the pins/ends.

http://www.caes.uga.edu/commodities/fieldcrops/forages/Ga_Cat_Arc/2012/SF1209.pdf

Your B7800 has 1655 lbs at the end of the 3 pt ams. I don't know what loader you have. If you with round bales, you should go towards the smallest size.

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/003/3/8/3386-kubota-b7800.html

 

[Wagtail]

G'day whistlepig. I handle round bales with my 300CX and twin bale spikes regularly. As long as you take your time, keep the load low & have ballast on the back your B7800 should be fine. Definately go with FEL spikes as you'll be able to position the bale upright with them once you reach the area of the paddock you'll be setting up at. My spikes are compatable with my forklift frame so I can interchange them when needed.

The trick you'll learn is to put the bale down on its side (never dropped from a height and hope that it lands correctly), back the spikes out then come in underneath with the tips about a foot. Then raise the FEL somewhat quickly and the bale will land upright.

You will need to either make or purchase a hay ring. If not, the horse(s) will barge through the bale IOT get at the 'good stuff' in the middle! They'll then foul what they've barged through 'cause all they'll be interested in is the 'good stuff' in the middle. I've experimented with a cattle hay ring and found that, although better than nothing, the horse will still destroy a good portion of the bale to get at the middle.

I knocked up a hay ring out of 5 wooden pallets (pine ones are best) and it works a treat!

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/274873-diy-hay-ring.html?highlight=

 

[bucktaker]

You will need to be real careful about the quality of the round bales you buy......alot are not real careful about what they bale...during last yrs dry spell I went all the way out near chillothe to pick up some rounds since my pasture was shot. What I got was weeds and stickers inside with a little grass on the outside.

Round bales are ok to use aslong as the horse has plenty to choose from and doesnt eat the bad parts. I use them as supplements and if there are times I need to be gone for a few days.
I have not had good luck with the horse style feed rings from TSC they only last a yr or less before they break up. The cattle rings last longer but your horse will loose some mane where they reach through.

What kind of horses do you have?

 

[Ken45101]

Oftentimes, round bale hay quality is less than that of square bales. I've heard it said that farmers round bale hay that isn't good enough quality for square bales. Also, not too many people store their round bales inside, which means they start to go bad before you even use them. Not a problem for cows, but horses need better quality hay than cows.

Unless you have a big herd eating the round bales, they will go bad (moldy) before they get eaten. If they get rained or snowed on, they will mold in a few days. Back when we had 23 horses, round bales worked out okay since the horses finished a bale in three days, but with a small number of horses, the bales will go bad before they get eaten.

While round bales do seem easier to handle and feed, I think square bales are more efficient (less waste).

 

[Xfaxman]

Check this poly plastic bale ring, it is what we use.

Century Livestock Feeders

 

[Wagtail]

Oooooh! I like that bale ring Xfaxman. I'm always open to alternatives.

The UV-rays in Tassie are stronger here, though. (wearing an Akubra is a necessity, not a fashion statement)

What's the price on that as I've been thinking about knocking up a second hay ring? It would make it easier/quicker to set up the next paddock for 'the boys'. There's no problem with the ring that I made, it just takes time to dissassemble/assemble.

 

[Xfaxman]

Oooooh! I like that bale ring Xfaxman. I'm always open to alternatives.

The UV-rays in Tassie are stronger here, though. (wearing an Akubra is a necessity, not a fashion statement)

What's the price on that as I've been thinking about knocking up a second hay ring? It would make it easier/quicker to set up the next paddock for 'the boys'. There's no problem with the ring that I made, it just takes time to dissassemble/assemble.

$220 unassembled, depending on the dealer.

 

[Leejohn]

I have b7800 and wouldn't try it on round bales. They would have to be a real small ones to use the fel. 3 pt would do small rounds.

 

[Xfaxman]

My wife sets out the 5x6 bales with the Toolcat. You can see the bale ring behind it, she has no problem raising it up, or pushing it over the bale.



To the OP, whistlepig, you have to cut the twine or netwrap before you set the bale on the ground. :thumbsup: