What size of baler?

[wykubotaguy]

Have a question for the experts. What small square baler or small round? can i use with an L3400. Would like to get info so i can start a budget for moving to larger acreage w hay fields.

 

[Bulldogger]

Have a question for the experts. What small square baler or small round? can i use with an L3400. Would like to get info so i can start a budget for moving to larger acreage w hay fields.

The L3400 may be a little small for baling hay. The terrain and how thick the hay is will also have an effect on the size of tractor needed. A small tractor will get pushed around a good bit with a round baler with a full bale. New Holland recommends that the tractor weight as much as the baler. My square baler weighs about 3200 pounds. Currently the smallest New Holland square baler requires 35 PTO HP and the smallest New Holland round baler requires 40 PTO HP. I have a NH 565 square baler and it requires 35 PTO HP. My Ford 1920 tractor that has 29 PTO HP will run it. I would use it in a pinch if I had hay on the ground but I currently use my Kubota M9540 with 84 PTO HP. I hope this helps.

 

[dmay]

Round baler is definitely out. How big of a hay field are you talking about? Small square, small acreage, light windrows, ability to take your time and go at your tractors capability, maybe. I'd recommend you borrow or rent a small baler and do your own testing before investing in equipment.

 

[jltrent]

Heston made a small round baler that baled 39" wide that it should pull if the land scape is not to hilly. Here is one on ebay to watch.

http://cgi.ebay.com/AGCO-NEW-IDEA-6...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c13c48502

 

[leonz]

Have a question for the experts. What small square baler or small round? can i use with an L3400. Would like to get info so i can start a budget for moving to larger acreage w hay fields.

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There is nothing saying you cannot use the Wolagri Mini round baler
with either a bale wrapper attached or a separate mini bale wrappper
with you L3400 or smaller beast of burden.

The Wolagri distributor south of me uses a small tractor B or BX size power range
because he does not have to worry about hay rotting on the ground when his fields
are wet and using a bale wrapper for the mini baler eliminates hay and straw freezing
and having to cut the bale open with a chain saw.

The hay does not go bad either and i believe you can also add a preservative injector
too for hay quality.

They also cost less too and are rated for a 15 hp tractor at a minimum.


You will have more marshmallows on the hay field but the unit will be fine for the L 3400.


leon

 

[flusher]

Have a question for the experts. What small square baler or small round? can i use with an L3400. Would like to get info so i can start a budget for moving to larger acreage w hay fields.

Your L3400 has 27 hp at the pto, which is marginal for a small square baler like my MF124 (MF recommends 35 pto hp minimum). But your real problem is the low weight of that L3400 (2400-2600 lb). My MF124 baler weighs over 3000 lb. You can surely pull it with your L3400, but a baler that size will shake your little tractor quite a bit. I use that baler with a 2008 Mahindra 5525 tractor (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, around 6500 lb weight on the wheels with FEL and loaded rear tires).

You'll find TBN threads where folks have run balers the size of my MF124 with small tractors like your L3400. You have to read these postings carefully to find out the conditions under which these underpowered tractor/baler combinations were actually operated (how much acreage is involved, flat or hilly ground, # acres baled per hour, etc).