Round bail with BX

Bri-Guy-GA

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Kubota BX1880
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I was just informed that we may be getting a round bail or two for the winter to feed the horses. Can a round bail be picked up by a BX1880? I was told they weigh around 600 lb.
 

i7win7

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Think you'll need a 3 point bale spear to move one.
 
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Bri-Guy-GA

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Kubota BX1880
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Villa Rica, GA
Is what I was looking at. I knew the FEL even with forks would be an issue from all that weight out front. at least with the 3-pt the FEL will balance it out
 

sheepfarmer

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Look at your owner's manual for maximum weight on 3 pt hitch, and consider whether you have any uneven ground to contend with. Looking at the weight limits for my B2650 I'm thinking not a good idea for a BX.
 

85Hokie

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I was just informed that we may be getting a round bail or two for the winter to feed the horses. Can a round bail be picked up by a BX1880? I was told they weigh around 600 lb.
Good luck! You might be able to skid one with the FEL - but a spear on the rear may not get it up...... you are out there a bit with distance, depending on 4x4 4x5 bail and the dampness of the bail......

I would see if possible to borrow a spear and try it before buying....or buy one and return it a day later......ok - did a say that with my outside voice? :oops:
 

Tornado

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I would find out what the diameter and height is of the bales. With those 2 measurements you can estimate weight. See the graphic I am attaching just as a quick reference. My wife and I have 2 horses and so I move round bales fairly often with my L2501. The bales we get are 5' x 5' and are over 1,000lbs. just 1 foot extra diameter / height on a bale will put it well above the limits of your tractor. if the bale is just 4' x 4' then it should weight about what have been told (600lbs). The Bx1880 that you have has a rated 3pt weight limit of 680lbs at 24" behind the lift point. You will be trying to lift a ~600lb bale that is 48" long. You can see where Im kinda going here. Youre gonna be pushing it. If the bale is anything larger than 4' x 4' then there is no way. I would take it very carefully. You may also have some issues getting the spear into the middle of the bale and then lifting it up off the groun. The BX1880 is a small tractor so it sits low. You will be driving the spear into the bottom of the bale to lift it. You may just have some issues with the size, and getting it off the ground. Id give it a try but keep the bale just BARELY off the ground - enough to move it, and hopefully the move is a short distance. If the bale ends up being 5' (which is more common I think) then youre looking at a bale that weights over half the total weight of yoru tractor, and I wouldnt expect you to be able to move it. Let us know how it goes

 

BigG

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Are you going to do this often? If it is a one time deal stop by a junk yard and buy a hood off of a pickup. Turn the thing shiny side down. Put a chain coming off the front corners to pull it by. Roll the bale onto the hood and drag it to where you need it. The hood can then be put in the corner out of the way until next time.
 
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Bri-Guy-GA

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Kubota BX1880
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Villa Rica, GA
probably a few times a year, when the grass stops growing. I just don't want to damage anything. I was thinking of a plywood board with some 2x around the edges for support.
 

BigG

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probably a few times a year, when the grass stops growing. I just don't want to damage anything. I was thinking of a plywood board with some 2x around the edges for support.
Pulling 600 lbs will require some type of "hitch" to attach a chain or cable. Other wise you will simple pull the chain through the plywood. Maybe a piece of 2 x 6 or 2 x 8 bolted flat to the plywood then bolt a steel strap hinge through the 2 x 6 and the plywood so you have some meat to pull against.
 

SidecarFlip

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The ones I roll average between 700 and a thousand pounds depending on how I set the density control and the TM of the crop but never lighter than 700 pounds.

You need a bigger horse (tractor). better stick with kicker bales.
 

BigG

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This one makes nice little rounds. 500 - 750#
2015 MASSEY-FERGUSON 1734 at TractorHouse.com
20
2015 MASSEY-FERGUSON 1734
Round Balers
For Sale Price: USD $9,900
Purchase today for USD $166.38/monthly*
PTO: 540
Condition: Used
Bale Chamber Type: Fixed
Auto Tie: Yes
Massey Ferguson/ Hesston 1734 baler, 3x4 bale, 500-750# bale, only requires 35hp and one remote to run, twine only, electric tie, standard pick up, Excellent condition baler showing very little use. These are hard to find!. For more information call Stefan 317-370-0510
 

SidecarFlip

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Not bad. I prefer net however. My NH 450 runs net or twine and is fully automated. I just drive. Once you run net, you'll never go back to twine. I keep the twine loaded just in case I run out of net in the middle of a bailing session. Net bales are easier to handle, weather well and easier to feed (net removal is a snap)
 

BigG

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It is a pain in the a$$ baler. The feeder is too narrow an plugs way to easy. Often hard to start a roll. And it is slow to tie and dump. However it makes nice sized bales for horse people to put into their pickup and roll around by hand. I sold 100's.
 

SidecarFlip

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It is a pain in the a$$ baler. The feeder is too narrow an plugs way to easy. Often hard to start a roll. And it is slow to tie and dump. However it makes nice sized bales for horse people to put into their pickup and roll around by hand. I sold 100's.
I have gathering wheels on my New Holland. Never an issue starting a bale either. Don't believe I've ever plugged mine that I can remember. With mine, the tie / wrap is automatic. The digital screen tells me not only how the chamber is filling, but alerts me when the bale is almost ready to wrap. When it's wrap time, it tells me to stop and then tells me to open the tailgate and dump, close and go again. I can switch between net and twine on the fly too and it has on board moisture sensors that constantly monitor the RM of what I'm bailing. I can roll anything between a 4x4 and a 4x6 in 2" increments. I tend to run 52's all the time at high density. Like playing a video game but in the cab.

When I first got it, it didn't have the gathering wheels and it was a PITA leaving tails in the field, especially on turns. With the gathering wheels, I don't leave anything. I added them a couple years ago and I wouldn't be without them now. Not as cheap add on though, they were 1200 bucks, whole goods. Probably should have opted for a Super Sweep pickup, but I didn't. My square baler has the Super Sweep, it's a huge pickup.

Most horsey people around here want kicker bales, not rounds. They cannot handle them. I quit doing kickers about 4 years ago. At my age, mechanized is the only way to fly. I don't get into kickers because of the labor issue. I do everything myself. I mow the fields, rake them with a rotary rake and if they need tedded (rarely), have a 2 star tedder too. Rake them up, bale them and load the rounds on semi trailers and off they go. I have one customer who takes everything I make and has for years now. Wish I had more hay ground, he'd take more if I could make it.

When I'm done, I come in and chop the fields, apply needed herbicide (if required) and fertilize them. I fertilize between every cut.

Was just up at TSC the other day for bird seed and at the checkout, the gal asked me what I was farming. Told her I was running hay. She asked me if I had any for sale and I told her I only run rounds and it's all spoken for. She said she couldn't find any small squares anywhere (hay is really tough here this year, we have had very spotty rain). I wanted to say to her that they eat horses in Canada but I kept my mouth shut. :D

The wife and I have a small feedlot operation and she has one nag and that hag has learned to live with round bales, just like the cattle eat. I hold back 30 first cut rounds for myself. Everything else goes down the road.

Did I mention that I'm not particularly fond of horse people in general? Most horse people don't know good forage from crap forage and they always whine about the cost. I used to go to the local hay auction for entertainment. It always amazed me what horsey people bought and what they paid for it too. Always took my Delmhorst moisture meter along too. Amazing how green, heavy, wet bales bring high prices. I used to shake my head in amazement. Green and heavy today, hot and moldy tomorrow.

Been playing the game for at least 15 years now.
 

SidecarFlip

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One thing that horesy people don't seem to fathom is feeding. They either don't give enough forage and instead give them grain (which they don't need) or they give them too much hay and the horse(s) just whizz on it. I feed my rounds in elevated feeders that keep the bales off the ground and have folding in barred panels that limit what the cattle (and the nag) can get in a mouthful. So no wasted on the ground whizzed on hay. It all gets eaten and they have roof's on them to keep the bales dry too.
 

jimr63

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One thing that horesy people don't seem to fathom is feeding. They either don't give enough forage and instead give them grain (which they don't need) or they give them too much hay and the horse(s) just whizz on it. I feed my rounds in elevated feeders that keep the bales off the ground and have folding in barred panels that limit what the cattle (and the nag) can get in a mouthful. So no wasted on the ground whizzed on hay. It all gets eaten and they have roof's on them to keep the bales dry too.
Can you take a picture of your feeder or provide a link? Looking for ideas on how to feed my cattle and goats that are pastured together using the same round bales. I currently just put one bale at a time under the side awning of the run-in shed but looking for better ideas to limit the waste created doing it that way.
 

skeets

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So you raised horses flip? I did, I raise Arabs, my Daughter still does. I can give you the link if you like. All top blood lines, one line that goes back to the 3rd crusade, and it can be proven. SO remarks like that one are just plain silly, yes I bit my tongue on that.
 

SidecarFlip

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So you raised horses flip? I did, I raise Arabs, my Daughter still does. I can give you the link if you like. All top blood lines, one line that goes back to the 3rd crusade, and it can be proven. SO remarks like that one are just plain silly, yes I bit my tongue on that.
Nope. my wife raised Pecheron Draft horses. I didn't. I don't much care for horses, I prefer cattle myself. Cattle are income, horse are like boats, a boat is a hole in the water you pour money into. Horses are just like boats but not in the water.

Bite your tongue all you want. I dealt with horsey people for years and most of them don't have a clue what good hay is. Don't have a clue, or don't have the money to pay for hay, or whine or both.

Don't want any link either. Don't care for nags. The nags came with my marriage, just like the cats did. Part of the requirements I guess. She has one left, it's (mare) is 26 years old which is ancient for a pure bred draft. When she kicks the can (hopefully soon), no more nags and that end of the feedlot gets turned into a hayfield so I can make money instead of spending money on a useless equine.

In fact my one customer raises cattle and bucking bulls. For the last 5 years he has taken everything I make. Put my square baler in the barn 5 years ago and it hasn't moved since. Nice New Holland 575 with every option. Probably sell it in the spring. I don't ever plan on making small square bales ever again.

Just finished second cut. Been so dry here it was first and last and no middle. All in 4 x 4.5 foot rounds, all lined up to be loaded on my customer's trailers tomorrow morning. Done until next year except for spraying and fertilizing. Equipment getting serviced and put away next.

Drier than a popcorn fart here. Corn is poor, beans are poor too. Haven't mowed the lawn in a month. No need, ain't growing, just a nice shade of brown.

I tend to avoid horse people if I can. I find them to be basically opinionated idiots. My wife is an exception.
 
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SidecarFlip

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Can you take a picture of your feeder or provide a link? Looking for ideas on how to feed my cattle and goats that are pastured together using the same round bales. I currently just put one bale at a time under the side awning of the run-in shed but looking for better ideas to limit the waste created doing it that way.
I basically copied the Klene Pipe Structures elevated round bale feeder and added my own roof structure. I use the fold down barred grates like Klene does as well but I changed his design to a single swing door and built the feeders out of heavy gauge steel angle with marine grade plywood feed floors.. Might take a picture at a later date, I'm busy making hay right now. Matter of fact, just got done with dinner, worked until dark today.