Round Bales - how do you do yours?

jimmy G M

How do you get your grass ready for bales? Most go for mower conditioner and bale the following day or so, I presume? I find that the wilt with a mower conditioner isn't great, and the bales can be a bit soft as a result. Also more bales per acre so cost is higher.

So our typical method is assuming a few reasonable days promised;
Day 1 middle of the day mow with 7 ft rotary mower.
Day 2 Scatter two rows with PZ haybob with rowers down so two rows scattered across aprox 9ft of ground.
Day 3 row up the grass and bale.
Bales are much better packed and more solid. I reckon 2 bales less per acre on average with this method.

Ok, labour intensive as travelling the ground 3 times, haybob works on a MF 35 so fuel cost not too bad. Save €1.20 per bale when do the mowing ourselves, and less bales per acre so save aprox €35 per acre, which covers fuel, w/t, time more or less.

Opinions on the above? - How do you do yours?

blue5000

Last year in good weather mow with conditioner so that the grass is spread out over the whole field, not in rows. Then row it up with a rake on day 3 and bale it. Was the first time doing it this way, had really dry silage and fewer bales per acre.

pajero12

jimmy G M wrote: »

How do you get your grass ready for bales? Most go for mower conditioner and bale the following day or so, I presume? I find that the wilt with a mower conditioner isn't great, and the bales can be a bit soft as a result. Also more bales per acre so cost is higher.

So our typical method is assuming a few reasonable days promised;
Day 1 middle of the day mow with 7 ft rotary mower.
Day 2 Scatter two rows with PZ haybob with rowers down so two rows scattered across aprox 9ft of ground.
Day 3 row up the grass and bale.
Bales are much better packed and more solid. I reckon 2 bales less per acre on average with this method.

Ok, labour intensive as travelling the ground 3 times, haybob works on a MF 35 so fuel cost not too bad. Save €1.20 per bale when do the mowing ourselves, and less bales per acre so save aprox €35 per acre, which covers fuel, w/t, time more or less.

Opinions on the above? - How do you do yours?

Most set ups are fairly similar to this, Every haybob in the country should be scrapped though!

reilig

jimmy G M wrote: »

How do you get your grass ready for bales? Most go for mower conditioner and bale the following day or so, I presume? I find that the wilt with a mower conditioner isn't great, and the bales can be a bit soft as a result. Also more bales per acre so cost is higher.

So our typical method is assuming a few reasonable days promised;
Day 1 middle of the day mow with 7 ft rotary mower.
Day 2 Scatter two rows with PZ haybob with rowers down so two rows scattered across aprox 9ft of ground.
Day 3 row up the grass and bale.
Bales are much better packed and more solid. I reckon 2 bales less per acre on average with this method.

Ok, labour intensive as travelling the ground 3 times, haybob works on a MF 35 so fuel cost not too bad. Save €1.20 per bale when do the mowing ourselves, and less bales per acre so save aprox €35 per acre, which covers fuel, w/t, time more or less.

Opinions on the above? - How do you do yours?

Similar to this. Have an 8ft disc mower. Changed the PZ 300 haybob for one of these last year:



It can ted the grass and can also put 2 x 8ft rows together for the baler.

jimmy G M

blue5000 wrote: »

Last year in good weather mow with conditioner so that the grass is spread out over the whole field, not in rows. Then row it up with a rake on day 3 and bale it. Was the first time doing it this way, had really dry silage and fewer bales per acre.

Thanks Blue, might try this. It cuts out two runs by me on the field. Does the mo co spread the grass out over the whole field or are there small gaps between wide rows?

jimmy G M

reilig wrote: »

Similar to this. Have an 8ft disc mower. Changed the PZ 300 haybob for one of these last year:



It can ted the grass and can also put 2 x 8ft rows together for the baler.

Thanks relig, I have been toying with getting a 4 rotor machine alright. I have seen a few lelys around but never a PZ. Do you have a few more pics of this? thx.

blue5000

jimmy G M wrote: »

Thanks Blue, might try this. It cuts out two runs by me on the field. Does the mo co spread the grass out over the whole field or are there small gaps between wide rows?

There's a small gap of about a foot between the rows. Contractor job, the rake was putting about 18-20 foot into the rows for the baler.

reilig

jimmy G M wrote: »

Thanks relig, I have been toying with getting a 4 rotor machine alright. I have seen a few lelys around but never a PZ. Do you have a few more pics of this? thx.

Its only a 2 reel machine. Identical to a pz 300, except you can change one of the reels to spin the opposite way and it will row to the side so that you can put 2 rows into one for the baler. Will get some pics of it when I have it out to work in a week or two.

maidhc

jimmy G M wrote: »

So our typical method is assuming a few reasonable days promised;
Day 1 middle of the day mow with 7 ft rotary mower.
Day 2 Scatter two rows with PZ haybob with rowers down so two rows scattered across aprox 9ft of ground.
Day 3 row up the grass and bale.
Bales are much better packed and more solid. I reckon 2 bales less per acre on average with this method.

Opinions on the above? - How do you do yours?

We used to do that once, but a waste of time and energy I think.

For the past 10 years we have stuck to mowing with an 8ft, and letting wilt for 24 (or more) hours. Much more than 24 hours, and the grass will dry out too much.

Touching the sward with a haybob is a recipie for disaster. It destroys the lovely windrows left by the conditioner. Instead of the grass flowing into the baler it gets bundled in, and is far harder to press.

Soft bales is a down the baler and operator for the most part. I have never had any hassle getting rock solid bales from an old Welger RP12s, but having a nice windrow is essential.

roosterman71

We mow with an 8ft conditioner. Leave it then for a day or so and bale up. Never any trouble with the bales this way.

As the previous poster says, the bale quality in terms of hard/soft is more often than not down to the baler and operator. Thankfully, our lad is pretty good and the bales are very solid. We carry the bales from the baler and wrap near their storage. We store on the end then, and don't double stack. Perfect bales when we need to open/sell them.

We normally make 2 cuts. The second is more often than not a poorer quality. I think a little more wilting time would be better so I'll do that this year if we get the weather.

This year the plan is to sell them all. Have over 500 on order already, and I expect another 500 will be requested.

funkey_monkey

How does the operator affect the solidity of the bales and what is the technique for baling solid bales?

roosterman71

Take your time baling, fill the baler correctly, and have enough horses under the bonnet to pack the bales

redzerologhlen

roosterman71 wrote: »

Take your time baling, fill the baler correctly, and have enough horses under the bonnet to pack the bales

+1

Grecco

All modern Balers have density settings on them. If your operator is making soft bales from dry wilted grass then you best show him the gate out

redzerologhlen

Grecco wrote: »

All modern Balers have density settings on them. If your operator is making soft bales from dry wilted grass then you best show him the gate out

Ya but you still have to drive handy baling or it doesnt get a chance to pack it properly.

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

Make sure grass is dry while its standing then...

Day 1 Mow
Day 2 Wilt
Day 3 Bale

Tried turning for a year or two, personally thought it was a waste of time and money. No complaints with the silage when I follow that system

jimmy G M

maidhc wrote: »

We used to do that once, but a waste of time and energy I think.

For the past 10 years we have stuck to mowing with an 8ft, and letting wilt for 24 (or more) hours. Much more than 24 hours, and the grass will dry out too much.

Touching the sward with a haybob is a recipie for disaster. It destroys the lovely windrows left by the conditioner. Instead of the grass flowing into the baler it gets bundled in, and is far harder to press.

Soft bales is a down the baler and operator for the most part. I have never had any hassle getting rock solid bales from an old Welger RP12s, but having a nice windrow is essential.

Thanks Maidhc,

We have tried this on a couple of occasions too, but have not been happy with the results, softish bales, not properly filled out at the edges. It would be much handier if this worked but whatever reason we just don't get the results. We have even tried a couple of different contractors. The guy we usually get has a Fusion driven by 160hp Fendt.

When we spread the grass and re-row we get the results we want, same contractor. When rowing we make the rows wide to match the pick up of the baler - had to drill a few extra holes on the gates to facilitate, but no doubt the grass never lies as well as it does in the mo co rows.

cow man

what is wrong when the baler leaves a line of light grass each side of where the baler passes It properly seems obvious that the rows are made to wide but I am told the conditioner is set to the smallest setting, Sorry for changing the thread!

JohnBoy

reilig wrote: »

Similar to this. Have an 8ft disc mower. Changed the PZ 300 haybob for one of these last year:

It can ted the grass and can also put 2 x 8ft rows together for the baler.

Is that the haybob 360? looked at a couple of them in cheffins in april, was wondering if they were a good job.

roosterman71 wrote: »

This year the plan is to sell them all. Have over 500 on order already, and I expect another 500 will be requested.

How do you get on selling them? We looked into it a few years back and the numbers just didnt seem to add up. are lads paying you a premium as they know you deliver consistent quality, or are you having to take the "donedeal price"?

dasheriff

I mow with my own 9 foot disc mower which leaves it straight down on the flat,i leave it down the for a day and the contractor rows it then into 20 or 30 foot rows and picks it up with a fusion..
I always have good solid bales out of it anyway thankfully..

reilig

JohnBoy wrote: »

Is that the haybob 360? looked at a couple of them in cheffins in april, was wondering if they were a good job.

That's the one.

Grecco

Seen a fair few bales of water made over the last week, I don`t think they`ll be too solid I`m afraid

Muckit

An ordinary disc mower followed by a rake seems to be a good system.

Anyone with their own single rotor rake? Are they a good job? See some of them with single axle and others on a bogey, they probably follow the ground better?

Would a lely lotus 300 offer more options for a farmers machine? ie ted and row?

redzerologhlen

Muckit wrote: »

An ordinary disc mower followed by a rake seems to be a good system.

Anyone with their own single rotor rake? Are they a good job? See some of them with single axle and others on a bogey, they probably follow the ground better?

Would a lely lotus 300 offer more options for a farmers machine? ie ted and row?

I wouldnt call what the lely leaves after it a row!!

lakill Farm

2 years ago (real dry weather for weeks) mowed at 12 noon (9ft conditioner), baled & wrapped at 8pm. Stacked by 930pm

Last year (about 6days of dry weather previous) mowed at 7pm by 9ft conditioner, bbaled at 7pm the following day and stacked by 9pm

This year (Last mon/tues and been dry for 6 days) mowed at 6pm on monday and picked at 1030am on tues . Stacked & Painted by 12noon.

wilt depends on how dry the grass is already and drying conditions. Every year is different. Factors are how heavy the crop is, how wet the crop is, how much drying (Wind and sun) and also the contractor.

Muckit

redzerologhlen wrote: »

I wouldnt call what the lely leaves after it a row!!

Well you would know Redz Good for tedding out so, not for making rows for the baler?

redzerologhlen

Muckit wrote: »

Well you would know Redz Good for tedding out so, not for making rows for the baler?

Spot on, it leaves the ground very dirty and the rows are lumpy and just messy. Dont think there is any other machine like it to ted grass though.

funkey_monkey

What is the best option for tedding and rowing for the baler? Currently, we tedd with a Lely Gemini and then use an old PZ hay liner to gather it into rows. Was thinking of sending both these items down the round and purchase something a bit more modern that could do both tasks together.

The gemini is meant to do both but we found it didn't do a great job. We go in one direction with the liner and the inside the row in the opposite direction in order to gather a good bulk for the baler.

jimmy G M

Cut 6 acres today for wraps. Should have been cut 7 days ago but for the weather. Pretty heavy expecting 70+ bales. Will ted in the morn and might wrap tomorrow eve or on monday depending on the weather.

Might cut some more tomorrow or on Mon. Another 15 acres well fit 2 cut, but don't want 2 bite off more than I can chew esp with weather a bit chancy.

Rain on Tues, but generally ok til Thurs I believe. Anyone else cutting?

Muckit

Yes cut today also. Mowed at 3.30pm with 10.5' krone. Will not be touched until the tines of the Fusion hit it Monday after dinner.

Bizzum

jimmy G M wrote: »

Cut 6 acres today for wraps.

Muckit wrote: »

Yes cut today also.

I see in the tea leaves a hell of a lot of heavy rain about Galway tomorrow and Monday:D:D

Muckit

I drink coffee

9935452

cow man wrote: »

what is wrong when the baler leaves a line of light grass each side of where the baler passes It properly seems obvious that the rows are made to wide but I am told the conditioner is set to the smallest setting, Sorry for changing the thread!

You need to pick the grass in the same direction that it is mowed in. Do that and it will pick clean. Go the opposite direction to the mower and you wont clean the ground properly

grumpyfarmer

Muckit wrote: »

An ordinary disc mower followed by a rake seems to be a good system.

Anyone with their own single rotor rake? Are they a good job? See some of them with single axle and others on a bogey, they probably follow the ground better?

Would a lely lotus 300 offer more options for a farmers machine? ie ted and row?

Have a lely. tis great for tedding but not much use for rowing. it was embarrassing to expect the contractor to pull in to a 10 ac field with a fusion after it so we bought a 2nd hand single rotor 12ft kuhn rake last year and its a god send, now decent 24ft swarths for him. better bales too. still use the lely to ted tho..
Day 1 mow, kuhn 7'6" disc
Day 2 ted, lely gemini
Day3 rake, kuhn 12' rake

jimmy G M

jimmy G M wrote: »

Cut 6 acres today for wraps. Should have been cut 7 days ago but for the weather. Pretty heavy expecting 70+ bales. Will ted in the morn and might wrap tomorrow eve or on monday depending on the weather.

Might cut some more tomorrow or on Mon. Another 15 acres well fit 2 cut, but don't want 2 bite off more than I can chew esp with weather a bit chancy.

Rain on Tues, but generally ok til Thurs I believe. Anyone else cutting?

Wrapped this up today circa 2pm. Rain came at 4.:D. 88 bales. Happy out. Shook it out on Sun. Rowed up this morn. Shud be good stuff.
Took some pic's - now have to figure out how to get them off my phone.

Muckit

49 bales off 4acres @€;11 a pop, mowed and plastic included.

Does anyone know the weight of a chopped fusion bale?