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allischalmerguy 
Orange Level
Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Deep River, IA
Points: 2893
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 Topic: Question on AC round bales
Posted: 31 Dec 2011 at 8:53pm |
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Hi guys,
I have a question that I need help on.
Subject: Selling small bales of hay
Do any of you make hay with a rotobaler and sell the hay? If so do you have trouble selling it verses small square bales? I see a lot of hay in my area that is small square bales for sale, but I dont' recall ever seeing any small round AC rotobaler bales for sale. I wonder if it would be hard to sell rotobaler bales in Iowa?
Thanks
Pastor Mike
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It is great being a disciple of Jesus! 1950 WD, 1957 D17...retired in Iowa,
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Dale H. ECIL
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Paris, Il
Points: 690
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Posted: 31 Dec 2011 at 9:13pm |
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Pastor Mike,
Around here in Il. all of the cattle and most of the horse people have gone to the big round bales for hay. 2 reasons, labor and money. There are 25 sixty pound small bales in a 1500 pound big bale. At $4.00 for a small bale X 25 = $100.00. You can buy a 1500 pound big round bale for $35-40 a bale.
Also the little AC round bale are not easy to handle or stack.
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Allis Chalmers Museum, Paris, Il.http:// www.allischalmersmuseum.com 217-275-3428
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John (C-IL)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Illinois
Points: 1654
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Posted: 31 Dec 2011 at 9:47pm |
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Dale, I grew up on roto bales. Dad said you had to have AC legs to walk on them in the loft!. I will admit that they can be more difficult to handle to the inexperienced, but once you learn they are no harder than the square bales. Customer acceptance is another matter, but the hay keeps better and is better quality in a roto bale.
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m16ty
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Joined: 28 Jan 2011
Location: TN
Points: 1474
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Posted: 31 Dec 2011 at 10:25pm |
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I'd go with small squares if I were you. There is a big market for small squares around here. Most of the big operators have gone to big rounds but the horse people and small farmers want squares.
I don't think people will buy small rounds unless there is a big discount over small squares. The roto baler bales are hard to handle and they don't stack very well.
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SteveM C/IL
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Shelbyville IL
Points: 8514
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Posted: 01 Jan 2012 at 12:32am |
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Feeding squares is simpler for the novice.Cut the tie and take as many slabs as needed.I grew up with a roto baler.Use a sharp axe and chop it length wise to the core then fork out what you need...no biggy.
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SHAMELESS
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Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Location: EAST NE
Points: 29486
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Posted: 01 Jan 2012 at 2:22am |
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we always just used a corn knife and sawed the little round bales to the amount needed, sawed easy!
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John (C-IL)
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Location: Illinois
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Posted: 01 Jan 2012 at 7:15am |
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If you stand the roto bale on end and take the twine off you can have any sized flake of hay you want, that's how we did it.
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Dennynwil
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Joined: 15 Sep 2009
Location: NorthWest IL
Points: 20
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Posted: 01 Jan 2012 at 1:26pm |
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I always thought they staked tighter in the mow, and you didn't have as many "holes " to fall in. We would grab the tail end of the twine and let it come off as the bale went down the chute from the mow. Cows would throw the around in the manger, so we never unrolled them. I would still rather handle small rounds than squares. You do need a couple good hay hooks.
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SteveM C/IL
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Shelbyville IL
Points: 8514
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Posted: 01 Jan 2012 at 2:34pm |
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Yeh! Forgot, without a hay hook yer screwed.
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