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Jim: Get your head out of the sand. Here are some advertized production figures from IH 1968 and 1983 buyers guides. IH model 27 - 14 tons per hour, IH model 37 - 17 tons per hour, IH model 47 - 19 tons per hour, IH model 57 - 20 tons per hour, IH model 428 -15 tons per hour, IH model 435 - 17 tons per hour and IH 445 - 19 tons per hour. I don't have the figures right in front of me for New Holland, however if I feel so inclined I may just go and get them. I know New Holland stats will be very similar with figures from 15 to 20 tons. I remember when we bought the NH S-69 new, it very easily exceeded what was advertised in the literature. We bought New Holland balers in those days because they tied better, baled faster with less hp, just generally a better all around baler. I've seen my S-69 go through 30,000 bale seasons and never miss tie a single bale. Another thing you got to remember, we were baling for 7-8 months stored feeding up in this cold country, and production damn well had to go right. Also remember we baled most of that hay in 70F to 80F degree weather, heat was not a factor on labor or equipment. That hay grew fast but it also went down hill fast once it reached bloom stage. If one wanted money making hay for dairy cows, it all had to be harvested in a week. I played the game on flat land, with quite large fields. We quite often harvested 15% moisture 4-5 ton first cut yields of alfalfa and timothy. Did you ever stop to think what it's like to bale 9' swaths that are large enough to keep most balers at at 2.5 mph. You don't go far for a load of hay, and at the end of the day our tractors have travelled a lot less miles than yours for the same amount of hay. Yes, I often baled windrows wide as an S-69 pickup, and high enough they were rubbing under pickup cross bar on top, yet the windrows were only 9' apart. Now, if you guys don't wish to produce any faster than you do, that is your porogative. I know continental hay holds it's quality over time much better than north eastern hay. I know you have a heat factor to deal with a good part of the season. I came to YT mainly to find out how things are done in different geographic locations across North America. What I notice is a good many of you folks come here with your head in the sand and unwilling to believe it may be different 500 miles from home. I find that hard to believe especially with older Americans that went through compulsary draft, you guys saw the world. I can remember living just 50 miles outside Halifax, that place was always lousey with American sailors in the 40s, 50s, 60s even into the 70s. And those same farm boy sailors did take time to get out in the country. I sure hope you didn't travel the world blind folded.
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