One of the original sellers for round bales was the fact they could shed water. Round bales were often times left in the field till they were needed. As round balers evolved, so did the way they were stored.

The most common way of storage today is outside in rows, preserving the hay on the ends of the bales but still losing ...

The key to making a baler last is maintenance. With proper maintenance a round baler can last for many, many thousands of bales without trouble. Maintaining your baler is also key to preventing fires, usually caused by bad bearings. It is best to read your owner's manual carefully and follow its suggested procedures.

Many people find that square bales are easier to sell in their area, as they are the preferred choice by many horse owners. They often think about how if they could make round bales they could cut down on their labor costs considerably. In many areas it’s hard to find help to unload and stack small squares and the cost of equipment for stacker systems or large square balers can not be justified by most small farmers. Round balers ca...

To make good solid round bales you want a nice consistent windrow. We’ve all baled poorly made windrows before and it is aggravating to say the least. There's a few things to consider when deciding how to make a windrow.

To Rake or not to Rake

Many people who make balage bales simply set their mower-conditioners to make a narrow wind...

Being a custom operator is a tough business, between breakdowns, uncooperating weather and disgruntled customers, it takes thick skin, optimism and a little stubbornness, to stay in business. Most people who custom bale, started out by helping neighbors and building a good reputation for making a quality bale for a fair price, before it rained. It’s not for everybody, and before you decide to start your own operation there's a few t...

In recent years mni round balers, also called roto-balers, have invaded the U.S. Originating in Asia these small balers produce bales ranging from 2'x2' in size to 4'x4' and 40lbs to 800lbs in weight. They can be bought with either twine or net wrap, wrapping mechanisms, like their bigger cousins. They are fixed chambers with rollers forming the bale. The smaller ones make bales approximatley the same size as the average small square baler,...

 

     Vermeer has initroduced the worlds first self propelled round baler, the ZR5. The ZR5 fearures zero-turn technoledgy, similar to a zero-turn lawn mower. The  ZR5 is designed to make a 5' by 6' bale although other sizes are epected to be released in the futute. This is just a prototype and Vermeer is epected to imrove upon the design even more. 

New Holland Agriculture has released a new fixed chamber baler consisting of a chain and slat bale chamber. When New Holland  started making round balers they used a similar design, but exited the fixed-chamber market in the early nineties. These new balers are aimed at small farmers and weekend hay producers. They are built with economy in mind, with a starting price in the mid-twenties. They are designed to be used with low horsepo...