baler opinions

I'm looking at the options and would like to go with Vermeeer, Deere, or New Holland in the 4x5 bale size. Any opinions on the best baler in this class? Also, what do you fellas think of net wrap?

considering a $15,000 budget.

All three make good balers, probably boils down to which has the closest and best dealer. Some years ago I was at a farm show where they had properly cured hay to demonstrate balers on and the JD made the best bale for that type of hay. It was Coastal Bermuda which makes nice well packed bales. Haven't been at one with good hay since, maybe this year.

Don't think 15k will buy a new baler, but haven't had the nerve to really check new balers. Should be able to get a good late model 504M Vermeer for that.

Net wrap costs about $1.50 per bale the last time I checked. I'm satisfied it will save that much in unspoiled hay. Wrapping with net wrap is much faster, the bale has to only take about 1 1/2 turns to wrap.

KEH

MY DAD HAS BALED FOR YEARS USING VERMEER. HE PURCHASED A NEW 605 SUPER M LAST SPRING AND PUT 4,500 CORNSTALK BALES THROUGH IT LAST FALL. THEN JUST YESTERDAY PURCHASED ANOTHER 605 M, USED HAD 6,500 BALES ON IT ABOUT A YEAR OLD, FOR $21,000, THE 605"S ARE GREAT BALERS FOR ANY BALING JOB. WERE GOING TO RUN 2 605"S ON THE STALKS THIS FALL, IF IT EVER DRIES UP.

Don't know about the newer ones but with the older balers in my price range I like the Vermeer. Some one else may know if this is still true or not but the newest one I have been around (Super H I think) parts were a whole lot cheaper. You can get bearings at any NAPA or industrial bearing joint for a fraction of the cost of any speacial red or green one.

Like others have said alot comes down to which dealer you have close you like.

My grandfather has a NH 664 that he bought new several years ago. He likes the baler it's self but he has said many times "bale command" is the worst idea NH has had since the 6000 commander tractor.

As for net wrap, I am a fan. If I ever get a newer baler it will have net. Only cost $1.50 a bale, is quicker, and saves a world of hay. I buy some hay every year and will pay or drive a few more miles for wrapped hay. Some folks don't, but I always take it off before I feed it. Some folks say it will get knotted up in a cow gut some say it won't. Many of the folks who don't like it fuss about how it get tangled up in mowers, cutlivators, and wrapped around tractor wheels and eats up seals. If you pull it off, wad it up, stuff it in a feed or seed sack, and burn it every year it never gets tangled in anything.

Dave

Dave

Erik Ks farmer
I agree on get a brand of baler that you will have dealer support. I think JD,NH & Vermeer all have good features. I always run JD's because I grew up with JD's. The earliest JD models with Netwrap were the 435/535's, Only model JD I had I didn't like was a 466 Mega-wide pickup and it gave me grief.

CM, could you go thru the process of Round Baling cornstalks. I have tried and haven't been real successful. I know I'm doing something wrong. I even got one of those Heartland flail choppers for my baler but I haven't tried that yet. I would really appreciate it.

one problem with net wrap is if it gets frozen on with alot of rain, friend had some cornstalk bales that 8" of cornstalks came off with the wrap, doesn't happen often but can, does work good for stalks and straw for the most part

haymaker421
I'm not CM but have baled several bales of stalks. After crop is combined,mow with a 15 or 20 ft bat-wing. Then I rake with a 14 wheel rake and bale with a JD 467 rd baler. Big farmers pull a 20 ft bat-wing with rake hooked in tandem to cut down in times over field.

HONESTLY I HAVE NEVER SAT IN THE BALER, DAD IS TRING TO GET MY BROTHER AND I SET UP IN THIS BUSINESS, BUT THIS FALL, SOON, I WILL SPEND THE BETER PART OF MY WAKING HOURS IN THE BALER.