[AT] Loose hay/round balers

[dfolske at nccray.net]

There are still quite a few NH chain type balers around here but 
most guys use the belt type Vermeer, JD, Hesston, CaseIH or the 
newer belt style NH's.If the hay is over dry the belt models will lose 
most of the leaves too.  

I've used a 5800 Hesston for quite a few years.  It's been a good 
reliable machine but the first 12 inches of the center is soft and the 
bales do tend to flatten out somewhat after a couple of weeks. It is 
much easier to start a bale than the old 241 IH that Dad had but it 
still plugged if you weren't careful. It is a "closed throat" model. The 
hay has to go between two rolers that roll against each other to get 
into the baler.  Time is getting to be a bigger problem for me in the 
summer so I just bought an 8465A CaseIH. It is built by Hesston 
and is the same as a 565 Hesston. It is open throat with automatic 
double twine tie with a bale kicker on it so I won't have to backup to 
drop the bale. The neighbors I've seen use them bale at 10 to 12 
mph and make up to a 2200 lb bale.  My old loader tractors won't 
handle that size bale without busting up front ends so I plan on 
making them about 5 feet in diameter instaed of six. Should be 
about the same weight as the bales from my 5800 and I'll be able 
to get 3 more on my hay trailer.  Not sure if I'll consign my 5800 to 
a local consignment auction, try Ebay or just trade it to a neighbor 
who sells steel corral panels and bale feeders. He's tried to but it 
from me before. He uses 3 of the 5800's and has a couple of more 
for parts.