Hay Baler: Everything You Want to Know About This Helpful Farm Implement
It could be a daunting task just to select the right kind of hay baler. Key differences can still be observed even when the fact that there are various categories of the device comes into play. As such, it would be wise to emphasize the two major groups of baler: The round and the square balers. The two categories of equipment are the most compatible with tractors of both compact and subcompact varieties. And to keep the discussion concise, let’s get one thing straight first.
We will be focusing on the smaller variants of both categories. It’s because, in reality, farmers with small-sized lots have found it a challenge to find the correct build to use on their farm. They often don’t own a tractor whose size is big enough to deal with large-sized round or square bales.
The Ups and Downs of a Round Hay Baler
Mini round hay baler has fast acquired popularity with farmers. Also known as roto-balers, a baler of this type is commonly employed by small farms due to its versatility when used in a tight space. In terms of principle, the mini baler doesn’t stray too far away from its bigger variant. The hay will be rolled inside a chamber up to a point where the entire bulk reaches a specific size.
The resulting bale is then wrapped using either net or twine before being ejected out of the rear side of the device. Twine serves as the more economical alternative to the available binding methods. A mini round baler works well with standard twine, which is quite affordable. The cost can be kept in check while maximizing productivity at the same time.
A mini round hay baler offers some advantages:
- It requires very low horsepower; it operates with about 15 horsepower only.
- Compared to a square baler, a round one is lighter in weight. Lightweight also leads to safer operation on hills. Any size of the tractor can also deal with pulling it.
- A round bale normally features a simpler design.
- A round hay baler can be operated way more smoothly than the square variety, as a square baler may make jerking motion up to 90 times a minute.
- Its small build makes it convenient to place in the back of a pickup truck, and storing it wouldn’t take up so much space.
It also comes with several disadvantages, though:
- Its output capacity is pretty low.
- Selling round bales would be a challenge when a customer prefers square ones instead.
- Produced round bales won’t stack as tightly as square ones.
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Square Hay Baler
A square hay baler produces bales in a square shape. The machine was first invented as a stationary device but this form later evolved into its current version in the late 1930s. The baler has a chamber that comes with a plunger that moves back and forth while forming the hay into a square bale. Twine or wire may be employed at the end of the process to tie the produced bales.
In terms of performance, a square baler is swift in its work. It can continuously drop a new bale every 10 seconds. Some devices can even put out new bales in a timeless than that. A farmer must then move the bales to a barn quickly lest they risk the bales catching water or moisture, which will ruin the batches as a result.
The benefits of using a square hay baler are:
- It offers a baling capacity of high levels. A bale of this kind wouldn’t have to stop working to tie a bale, making it capable of baling hay at a maximum tonnage.
- The resulting bales are relatively easier to handle. The square shape makes the bales more convenient to stack, lift, and move.
- Marketing a square bale would be easy as it possesses easy-feeding flakes farmers are familiar with.
The disadvantages of a square hay baler are:
- It’s pretty heavy. The weight of this kind of baler would be a source of danger if you are baling on steep slopes or putting it on a small tractor.
- Square bales are prone to getting spoiled from moisture. They will absorb water to no end.
- The operation is quite complicated.
Get tips on choosing the correct hay baler that fits your needs from us at Silopak. We will gladly help you out of confusion and offer advice so you can get the most out of your baler right away.