Baling hay

Bensdexta · Post by **Bensdexta** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 11:51 am

Hi,
I want to be able to make a few (<5) hectares of hay, old fashioned small rectangular bales, on level ground with no sledge.
Any advice on suitable tractor/balers appreciated (I see on the forum that any Major is suitable); in particular will a Dexta or Super Dexta cope?
Thanks,
Ben

jambug123 · Post by **jambug123** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:51 pm

a dexta should cope with the right baler, it will cope with the other jobs like mowing, rowing up and wuffleing i know as i make 15 acres of hay every year. finding a baler to run off 30-45hp is the fun bit.

Bensdexta · Post by **Bensdexta** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 10:25 pm

jambug123 wrote:a dexta should cope with the right baler, it will cope with the other jobs like mowing, rowing up and wuffleing i know as i make 15 acres of hay every year. finding a baler to run off 30-45hp is the fun bit.

Hi,
Many thanks for your response. Any suggestions on a suitable baler for which one can still get parts?
Thanks again,
Ben

jambug123 · Post by **jambug123** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:00 am

my baler is a new holland 565 pick up baler, the baler needs 35hp but works fine in the right gear on my non live drive standard dexta

Bensdexta · Post by **Bensdexta** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:55 am

jambug123 wrote:my baler is a new holland 565 pick up baler, the baler needs 35hp but works fine in the right gear on my non live drive standard dexta

Thanks for your input. Is not having a live-drive a problem? Also do you weight the tractor to counteract the baler weight?
Many thanks
Ben

jambug123 · Post by **jambug123** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 3:12 pm

having non live drive isnt a problem you just carnt change gear without stopping the baler. say if you came up to a large clump and you wanted to move through slowly you would have a problem with keeping the baler turning as you try to move through but there are ways around these little niggles.
you shouldnt have to weight the tractor as it is just drawbar work. but my tractor is fitted with a front end loader but i hardly have the arms fitted during the summer months.

Regards
James

JC · Post by JC » Fri Oct 10, 2008 5:34 pm

Hi Guys
I've heard the word sledge mentioned in a few posts about baling. Over here, a sledge is a big hammer. (Sometimes used to make small "adjustments" to balers

). What is a sledge in your part of the world?

Bensdexta · Post by **Bensdexta** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 5:55 pm

JC wrote:Hi Guys
I've heard the word sledge mentioned in a few posts about baling. Over here, a sledge is a big hammer. (Sometimes used to make small "adjustments" to balers ). What is a sledge in your part of the world?

Hi, if small square bales are used, they may be collected as they fall out of the baler in a bale sledge dragged behind the baler. This has various channels, controlled by automatic balances, catches and springs, which sort each bale into its place in a square eight. When the sledge is full, a catch is tripped automatically, and a door at the rear opens to leave the eight lying neatly together on the ground for later collection. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baler
As you say it can also be sledge hammer but hopefully not in this context!
All the best,
Ben

Bensdexta · Post by **Bensdexta** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:33 pm

jambug123 wrote:a dexta should cope with the right baler, it will cope with the other jobs like mowing, rowing up and wuffleing i know as i make 15 acres of hay every year. finding a baler to run off 30-45hp is the fun bit.

Hi,
How is the economics of the hay making, ie the cost of the kit, fuel, time etc vs the cost of buying in the same amount of hay? Roughly how many years does it take for the kit to pay for itself, for say 15 acres hay? I'm thinking of doing something similar!
Thanks again,
Ben

Mike Kuscher · Post by **Mike Kuscher** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 1:55 am

Ben,

I had 7 acres of hay cut and baled for me, a couple of years back.
It costed out no cheaper than I could buy it 'off the field', so, that's the last time I had that done.
Since, I've toyed with the idea of getting the 'kit' together so I could cut and bale with my Major.
Whilst good 'old fashioned' bales are getting less common (they all want to make Euro bales or round bales now) I can still buy them in, good quality and delivered for 1.50 GBP per bale and guaranteed no Ragwort (that's important).
It doesn't seem worth the 'hassel' of DIY at that price.

Mike

Bensdexta · Post by **Bensdexta** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:01 am

Mike Kuscher wrote:Ben,
I had 7 acres of hay cut and baled for me, a couple of years back.
It costed out no cheaper than I could buy it 'off the field', so, that's the last time I had that done.
Since, I've toyed with the idea of getting the 'kit' together so I could cut and bale with my Major.
Whilst good 'old fashioned' bales are getting less common (they all want to make Euro bales or round bales now) I can still buy them in, good quality and delivered for 1.50 GBP per bale and guaranteed no Ragwort (that's important).
It doesn't seem worth the 'hassel' of DIY at that price.
Mike

Mike, Thanks. That's cheap. We pay 3.5GBP/bale for hay for horses in Berks (that's small quantities not off the field). My parents in N Wales don't pay much less than this, but most of the cost there is transport. Most of the local farmers are doing silage because of the variable welsh weather can make hay making a bit of a nighmare. That's another Q: Can I shift big bales with a Dexta?
Thanks again,
Ben

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 3:38 pm

I looked into buying a baler to do my own haymaking. Since our horses have passed away I have just been cutting our grass acreage to keep it in good shape. I had a thought that I might grow the hay and give it to the local horse sanctuary and also have a good play with the machinery.

Now I should have realised that no good deed ever goes unpunished and after hearing about the knotting mechanism horror stories and the rotten summer weather we had here that in the long run it is easier to help the sanctuary with donations.

DWD

jambug123 · Post by **jambug123** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 12:51 pm

to do your own hay making you will need
mower either a fingerbar or a drum mower
vicon acrobat or a hay bob
bamford wuffler for use if using the acrobat
baler and sledge

if your mowing with a finger mower it can take a couple of days to mow your grass if your using a drum mower it could take a day if everything goes well.
then you will need to row the mowed grass using a acrobat or hay bob.
leave the grass to dry depending on weather conditions this could take a couple of days.
then bob the hay of wuffle depending on which you used for rowing up.
leave for a couple more days until the grass crackles when twisted up by hand when it is like this you can bale it.

then it depend on how you will pick the hay up by hand using a tractor and trailer or useing a tractor and loader with a flat eight.

regards
James

Bensdexta · Post by **Bensdexta** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 2:11 pm

Thanks Jambug. Can you add some rough purchase costs for old but viable kit, eg is £500 realistic for a useable baler?
Many thanks,
Ben
PS are you a ploughman - think I've seen you on a forum?

David M · Post by **David M** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 2:57 pm

Here is some pictures of our baling equipment;

This is our Dexta pulling a MF20 baler. We usually use the Major for baling but that year it wasn't available so we used the Dexta. We were baling straw rather than hay but I'm sure it could handle hay without a problem.

Dexta with a haybob

We stack the bales into 17's and take them to the shed using these bale lifters.

Bensdexta · Post by **Bensdexta** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 3:22 pm

David,
That's super! Have you any approx costs for your hay making kit, for budgeting purposes?
Thanks,
Ben
PS Has your Dexta undergone some renovation?!

jambug123 · Post by **jambug123** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 4:12 pm

approx £5-600 for a good baler, hay bobs vary but you should pick a good one up for £200 or a vicon acrobat is £100 max if you go the acrobat route then you will need a wuffler which is around £100 .
The hay bob does the same jobs as the wuffler and the acrobat in one.
and a good finger mower will cost about £150 or a drum mower which are around £300 for a good un.
I asked my local contractor how much they charge to bale the hay and its around £1 - 1.50p a bale.
but if you sell some hay you could get some money back but it will take a while to get all your money back and you will still be spending money as you do it each year on Baler twine and any repairs to the baler.

Regards
James

Roadless63 · Post by **Roadless63** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 10:25 pm

I'd agree with the sentiments above, acrobats can fetch up to and above £100 but if you look around farms sales etc £25 can pick one up, wufflers are getting pretty scarce, we have 3 but only 1 is in very good order if you find one for under £100 it probably needs new tinwork. Tedders more plentiful but also more desirable, around £300 depending on condition, mower either finger bar (from £50-£60 +) or better drum (£230-£300+) depends if you're cutting big acreages really. Balers budget on +£500, we've had the new holland 268 for a few years now spares still available.
For contract baling little bales probably around 50p a bale now with fuel on the up, was reckoned to be 30p a bale a couple of years back.
Sounds like you're probably not too familiar with this sort of machinery, remember all this kit can be lethal in the wrong hands, keep all fingers away from blades etc and dont go near moving parts without disconnecting PTO and switching off, sounds obvious but when you're jumping on and off with a faulty knotter its easy to get complacent and cut corners! Not trying to be a killjoy just be safe! If you have a local farmer it might pay to pop round come next haymaking time and see how its done, if it all goes to plan - no breakdowns, good weather etc its great fun but can be very frustrating too!
We do 3-4000 bales a year mainly for "fun" but there's always some bale stacking in the dark or a dynamo seizing at the wrong moment to add to the entertainment.

Roadless63 · Post by **Roadless63** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 10:30 pm

Forgot to mention the sledge and then flat 8 grab to get maximum use from it - £250+ for each.
Don't forget running costs, string, new tines these are the regulars, every year we try and do a bigger job such as replacing all the springs on the sledge, renewing main plunger bearings (£50 each!)
Plus the extra wear and tear on the tractor which may have been happily in retirement for a few years and any weaknesses will show up sooner. A well maintained machine (regularly serviced and kept up together) should be OK.
Live drive is far more convenient and allows you to slow down for thick bits without losing drive to the baler.

roromac · Post by **roromac** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 9:22 am

I'm amazed you can carry that much hay on an oversized buck rake without the Dexta's front wheels coming off the ground. Have you got front weights? I couldn't see any. If I try and carry a back box full of children, I have a job keeping the front down.

Rob

Bensdexta · Post by **Bensdexta** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 8:26 pm

All,
Many thanks for the inputs.
So in rough terms the hay making kit will cost £1-1.5k, meaning that to pay for itself and fuel, one will need to make rather more than 1000 bales. This need not be done all in one year although of course the more bales/yr the quicker the pay back will be.
Thanks also for the observations on safety.
All the best,
Ben

The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Baling hay

Baling hay

Baling with a Dexta?

Baling with dexta

Baler sledge

Economics of baling with a Dexta?

Cost of hay making kit

Baling pictures

Hay making kit

Hay Making