Big Round bales. Whats the rate this year?

Are you talking about $16 for custom baling only, where the landlord furnishes the product, or are you talking about a leased piece of crap field that you manage into something suitable for hay, plant, fertilize, and harvest the crop?

FYI I have a publication from the ab.ca. (assume that to be Alberta Canada) dept of Ag that says their hay tests with the JD 535 varied from 1000# (mixed grasses-twine) to 1500# (alfalfa-net wrap) per bale with excellent quality of bale.

My Hesston, Rounder 5580 (5x6), on the other hand was rated kinda half fast (I agree) but it did put out 1720 to 1975# bales in mixed grasses including stemmy (assume they mean sudan) types. No net wrap, just twine wrap.

Quite a difference in the tonnage per acre with the 2 balers. No data published on the other JD balers mentioned.

Thanks,

Mark

Can't believe you have a coffee shop crowd there. That's where I go when I want some information on something. They know all there is to know about nothing. If you don't believe it ask them. Now I'm not talking about genuine farmers having a cup of coffee in the off season.

• Balers and Baler Attachments

I thought that was the general topic of the discussion here was custom baling? Yes, its $16 a roll for mowing raking and baling for a customer with a 2 bale per acre minumum($250.00 bare minimum).

Your baler sounds like a good machine but people around here want John Deere Bales, they kinda turn their noses up at other balers. I'll be honest I prefer Green equipment, for the quality and for the parts availabiliy and dealer support. There is only one Hesston dealer I know of within 50 to 60 miles of here. There are at least 6 or 7 Deere dealers within the same distance.

So you (we) are stuck at $12.50. As far as baler performance, I gave you the thread to the Alberta Ag site. They did the testing, not me. Around here the green 530 used to be THE baler of choice (for those who could afford it) but now it's whatever the guy can afford including me. The 530 was not on the list of the Alberta tests.

My Hesston was $2500 and all I have had to do to it in 3 years of use is put new bearings in the pickup wheel rotator last year and new belts this year. It gets the job done, was available on the market when I was shopping, and I could afford it. Vermeer and New Holland show up here also. I can easily find a cooperating dealer on the web and have parts in 2 days.

Seems your $16 is alot more appropriate and having a minimum is a great idea. No such thing here.

So I am happy for you and sorry my post didn't digest too well. Just stating facts as they are here, not there.

Mark

Kinda been standard, $8 to bale, $12 to do it all around here.

--->Paul

The rate here is 50% of the crop.

Allan

So, 50% of that is $12.50 and that is what I charge. Hard to recover expenses, like a set of $1200 belts this year among everything else, when the bale only brings $12.50.

Getting to where I don't do custom baling as I save my equip to do my stuff for my cows. Seems shared fields are always full of big stems, weeds, foreign objects and who knows what that does a number on your stuff.

txblu

--->Paul