Bale Slice

Some of these newer ones seem very light compared to most (not all) of the Irish made ones. What jumps out to me is the ones with rams on top, the first made irish ones have 2 plates, 1 either side of ram - some newer and imports only have 1 plate, too light I think. Also make sure replacement tines are straightforward got.

Is this for all farmers or are there exclusions?

I think it's a general item. Can't remember which one it's under but might be AWNSS

You have to look at the tines too.

Shearman has the heavier tines and bushings.

I've the older model Tanco like in this ad https://www.donedeal.ie/silagegrabs-for-sale/tanco-multi-bale-shears-for-sale/35127094,

its the best bit of kit in the yard I probably have over used it moving heaps of bushes etc but its a well made tool and does a good job keeping the net/wrap on most bales regardless of shape.

Its on a 100hp massey and I've a counter weight which it does need as it can bully the tractor a bit.

Main reason I like it as the rams are closed when not in use, most other brands are open to the elements when not in use, best of luck with it

I've 750kg on the back, I might add to it this year, as for the bit of silage, literally a fistful, all my bales are chopped so its little or nothing

Happened to see a Shearman in a man’s yard today, first time I saw one on the flesh. It’s definitely the 540kgs just by looking at it. Looks a well made machine, I’d say a good bit beefier than the original tanco one is.

Keltic would be the most common around here.

They’re a well built heavy machine too. They work the opposite way to a lot of the other brands in that the blade splits the bale from the bottom up rather than the top down.

For anyone that would be splitting bales into a diet feeder this would be a major advantage. The shearman, tanco etc. that cut from the top down, when splitting a bale with them over a diet feeder the outer half of the bale falls away from the splitter and into the feeder but the net and polythene from that front half will “hinge” forward from the bottom of the bale and be hanging down into the feeder. It can get pulled into the feeder easily then which isn’t ideal. This doesn’t happen with the makes that split from the bottom up.

Just something to keep in mind for anyone thinking of getting one that could be using them over a feeder.