Baling with a compact - minimum size?

[txkevin]

Have any of you used these tractors for haying> Can you get the smaller equipment needed? What brand/models would you recommend?

Dave

Hay is not my thing and I had about enough of it when I was 15 to last me a lifetime. Anyway, check out this thread...

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...on-what-equipment.html?highlight=compact+bale

Looks pretty neat...
Agriquip: Gallery

It talks about some mini hay - round and square equipment for tractors in the 17 - 30 HP range. I have no experience with them, but there seems to be equipment that seems to work with smaller tractors. Of course its likely not a solution for large volumes of hay but 5 acres may be just fine....

Here is a video for equipment from Hobby Star for smaller bales...

YouTube - Hobby-Star Hay Tools

 

[Bob_Young]

With a small square baler, you can get by with a smaller tractor if you don't pull a wagon behind the baler, go slow, and simply drop the bales on the ground for later pickup. This is true even on the moderately hilly ground we have here in NY drumlin country. For 5 acres, this shouldn't add an insurmountable amount of work.

For this, you'd probably want at least 3200 to 3500 lbs. of tractor with 35 to 40 PTO HP. I'm thinking Kubota L4400 absolute minimum, with an MX5000/5100 being quite adequate...for the stated acreage.

On the other hand, for 5 acres, it's probably not worthwhile investing in a new or almost new small square baler. But it's something to keep in mind if a bargain comes your way in the future.
Bob

 

[Greyfields]

I bale with a JD 4120. It's 5 hp under spec for running a MF1745 round baler. But where I live is enitrely flat and I have no problems running it.

If I could have any baler I wanted, I would have gotten this guy:

1700 Small Round Balers

The MF 1734. But, I would have had to wait a year for it, so I went the next side up and haven't looked back.

 

[Soundguy]

I'd buy the CUT size you watn for everything but the haying.. and then get an older used tractor sized correctlyfor haying. Big old iron goes for pennies ont he dollar of new iron.

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

I own a 28 HP 4 wheel drive Jinma and no baler so what I did was contract it done. I had square bales done twice on my 8 acre field for $1.25 per bale last year. I could not believe the guy would cut, rake, and bale it for that so I let him do it. He just dropped them on the ground then me and my friend picked them up using my tractor and the wagon. Sold them for $2.75 per bale and if I remember right I got about 150 bales per cut so it was easy money and not much work.

Chris

 

[schmism]

I'd buy the CUT size you watn for everything but the haying.. and then get an older used tractor sized correctlyfor haying. Big old iron goes for pennies ont he dollar of new iron.

soundguy

ive been recently looking for a haying tractor.

I figured 60-70hp mfwd and loader. (bonus if it was self leveling)

based on what i could find on tractorhouse, im looking at 5K hrs, 10+ years old and still $20K

my thinking was there would be tractors to be had for 8-10K, but i suppose not with those options (or not listed online)

 

[Soundguy]

I was thinking more 60-70hp, 2wd and no lloader.. IE.. just pull the bailer.. You can get those for 5000-8000$ all day. slap a loader on for 3-4$ MAX, even if new..

soundguy

 

[334 lawn co.]

check out star mini hay tools.
AGRIQUIP.com

 

[SPYDERLK]

You are looking at either a heavy small tractor (not a compact tractor) to do these things or at buying two machines. The old, square balers are getting older and less useable by the day and they need some mass tractor-wise still to use. They need 3500 lbs and 40 PTO horsepower at the bare minimum in a tractor.


A smaller tractor can plow, plant, and cut the hay........but it wont' handle the baling.

I hear this over and over while I routinely use a Kubota L2550 and sometimes even a BX 1500 for baling. The L does perfectly. The BX you have to go slower than youd like on the uphills. Square balers take only a few HP to run unless youre try to cram thru wet hay.
larry

 

[Builder]

I own a 28 HP 4 wheel drive Jinma and no baler so what I did was contract it done. I had square bales done twice on my 8 acre field for $1.25 per bale last year. I could not believe the guy would cut, rake, and bale it for that so I let him do it. He just dropped them on the ground then me and my friend picked them up using my tractor and the wagon. Sold them for $2.75 per bale and if I remember right I got about 150 bales per cut so it was easy money and not much work.

Chris

Sounds like a lot of work to make $450 bucks gross profit, but I guess it's better than letting it sit.