|
|
WC Illinois/SE Iowa | This should probably be posted in machinery, but I wanted to get the opinon from guys that not only use them, but also then feed the bales too.
I may be in the market for a round baler next season after I see how a new hay venture is going to turn out for me this year. I will be looking for a used round baler and want to be able to make five foot bales. This hay venture will be irrigated grass/alfalfa mixed hay and I plan to round bale the first cutting. The remainder of the cuttings will be small squares, but I already have that covered. This will be all comercially grown hay as I have other hay ground to suit my needs.
My question is what is a decent, reliable round baler that you are happy with the final product staying tight and not falling apart if having to transport it long distances? I want one that will net wrap, not just twine tie.
I had access and ran a Case IH (Hesston) baler until this last spring when it caught fire. I will say we were not dissapointed that it is gone. We hated that baler. You could not even think of baling even the slightest damp hay without it wraping in the belts, and you always had to be VERY slow when starting a bale. It was a twine tie only which was ok at the time because we had a shrink wraper, but it has been sold, hence the desire for net wraping. (As of now they will be stored outside)
We have local JD(expensive), Vermeer(I know guys like them), NH(know nothing about them), and a Hesston(still a Hesston) dealers in the area. Which one should I pursue and what model numbers should I be asking about? Oh ya, if just one cutting per season, I will put about 300 bales thru it.
TIA
Edited by sodbuster35 1/23/2014 07:30
|
|
| |
|
near dyersville iowa | For 300 bales..probably a 535 deere. Best of the older round balers. If you go newer, I think Vermeer would be ok with their current series. NH I know nothing about. |
|
| |
|
Saronville NE | Id pry go JD or newer NH. Depending on your budget. Personally if you don't expand into hay more, for 300 bales a year, Id hire it done. For $4k-4500 a yr, you could have it done and have no, repairs, ins, net, fuel, time etc in it. JMO. But makes a difference if thinking a $4500 535 or thinking $20k 568. If it was me, I wouldn't own any of the balers in the middle between a 535 or a 568, either go 1 or the other or go different brand like NH BR780A or BR7090.
Edited by ahay68979 1/23/2014 08:16
|
|
| |
|
Kingdom of Callaway - Fulton, Mo 65251 | I know NH and Vermeer make stripped down plain jane balers for a small guy (like me) that wants to put up a little hay and can't justify a expensive one. I bought a new Vermeer 5400 Rebel baler 10 years ago that was cheaper than larger used ones. I have put 300 to 1500 bales a year through it with very few problems. I tried to hire it done and everyone puts up hay at the same time you do. I lost two fields to rain because the neighbor was late showing up. That would have paid for half the baler. |
|
| |
|
| I've got a 567 JD and think it's a great baler. The bales start every time, they're tight, and keep their shape. I previously had a NH 664 and we constantly had issues with the bales not starting in some conditions, as well as the twine not starting or cutting off. My cousin had a fairly new NH baler (BR7090?) and had the same issues, plus the pickups on the NH's are a joke. Pickers are way heavier on a JD. I recommend you get a Mega Wide pickup. Also, a 568 or 569 is equally as good or maybe even better, but a lot more money. |
|
| |
|
Northwest Missouri | It sure is nice to have your own baler. |
|
| |
|
WC Illinois/SE Iowa | This is the exact reason I'm not hiring it done. There are not a lot of guys that bale around here, but when they do, everyone does it at the same time. |
|
| |
|
S.E. Iowa | JD 567 300 bales a year put you in the position of justifying a good decent baler , in my opinion If you hired the baling done you would pay somewhere around $3600 a year. A really good 567 would cost around $12000 four year pay back on your investment and easily a 10 year usage with minimum repairs and good upkeep. The 567 puts out a really good bale compared to earlier JD balers, one that will stay together when handled and transported |
|
| |
|
SE MN | The used baler market is really flooded, its a buyers market especially in your price range.
For 300 bales, I would have to assume you want to keep your investment much lower than a new baler. I would look at 535's or maybe 567's if you want net wrap. |
|
| |
|
Amherst WI | I'd vote 535 as well. |
|
| |
|
| 535 for sure. It is a great baler, nearly the same as a 567, but a little a older, thus, cheaper. |
|
| |
|
northwest tennessee | I agree on the 535 and you can find them worth the money. |
|
| |
|
WC Iowa | If it were me, I'd go with a 567. Gets you a nice monitor, much better megawide pickup, can use cover edge if you want, a pure joy to run. Hunt around and watch auctions. Something in the 10-12k bale range would last you a long time and as said above the used baler market is flooded. I would rather pay 10-15 grand for a 567 than 5-7 for a 535. |
|
| |
|
| There is a 535 with wrap in Iowa on auctiontime. |
|
| |
|
| I would buy a 567, you will have to put some parts into it but if you can do bearings yourself you will end up with a baler that will outlast yourself. |
|
| |
|
sw North Dakota | Running two NH BR7090s. Never look back, no problems. |
|
| |
|
northern IL | For just 300 bales I would also say 535 deere for the cost of them .
I run a 535 deere ,and other than a sensitive net wrap system it makes a very respectful bale . If I upgrade I would go with a vermeer m or newer though . |
|
| |
|
North West MO | JD 530 would be cheap they only do twine. It hurts me to say this but I would definitely go John Deere for a baler. They just are mechanically simpler than everything else. They practically made the same baler for 25-30 years. Only changes was double tie arms for twine, net wrap, wider pick up that might be it.
Edited by Cline 1/23/2014 13:02
|
|
| |
|
Northeast Misery | +1 on the 7 series deere, and if you're doing a lot of trucking you may want to think about a 4' wide baler. (467) |
|
| |
|
Scottsboro, AL | X2 (but we use a JD 566) |
|
| |
|
Fairbury, NE (Southeast) | 12k baler going off Ahay's numbers would have a ROI over 20% even figuring tractor depreciation, time, etc. That's a pretty good payback.
|
|
| |
|
WC Illinois/SE Iowa | PTO,
I thought about that as well, but do most guys that buy their hay rather have a five foot bale or is a four foot bale ok to market? |
|
| |
|
near dyersville iowa | depends on where your at..and where youre shipping it to. Some places 10 ft wide hauling is a hassle. |
|
| |
|
NW Iowa | Have a 567 Deere for sale if your interested. |
|
| |
|
Northeast Misery | Never had an issue here, but if you have several repeat customers you might want to discuss with them. |
|
| |
|
| A solid 4' bale could open up a bigger trading area.
In a perfect world (someone that knows how much hay is in a big bale and what it's worth) a 5x6 bale sold to a reliable neighbor is the way to go. |
|
| |
|
west central Iowa | I've had a 535 and now a J vermeer and I would take the J over the deere even if they were the same cost, but you can buy a J a lot cheaper. The J is simpler and will make just as good a bale and the operater controls the tieing so it won't start half way thru the bale like the deere. The J has a better pickup and will bale stalks better and you don't need metric wrenches. |
|
| |
Best round baler for the money
