# Baling Hay with a YM 200BD



## ktm rider (Aug 19, 2006)

I am getting tired of paying for my hay for the horses so I was looking into some rakes and square bailers. ( I have about 50 acres of field on my farm) I was thinking of selling my Case backhoe and my Yanmar and finding a bigger tractor. I REALLY don't want to sell the Yanmar though. It only has 500 hours on it. I was wondering if anyone has used a ym2000 to run a baler or if it is just plain too small to do the job. 
Any thoughts would be appreciated....


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## Archdean (Jul 15, 2004)

KTM. Just some thoughts as I read your post.

50 acres to farm in any ones opinion could effectively use at least a medium sized tractor somewhere in the 50 horse +/- range!!

Not sure about your BH but if you have done all the BH work that you can cancieveably (sorry about the grammer) do around your place then it would make sense to trade that guy in on something used in the medium class usually some one would give their eye teeth for a BH and be more than willing to swap a 50hp machine even a newer one , you really don't need a B&W Tractor just an average good condition tractor with perhaps a front loader (Agco/Massy/JD/Kubota/Ford/NH/Allis/ and others)!

Your yanmar w/only 500 hrs is definately a keeper and Hey you like it and that's more than half the battle!

Actually we could use some more info (hilly? flat? Is the Case BH a good one/? What size etc.? You know all that stuff! IMHO you should get a 50hp class tractor and keep the yanny!

:cowboy:


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## mark777 (Jul 23, 2004)

I agree, 20 PTO HP just isn't enough...Swapping up to a good sized utility tractor would seem the logical way to go....and Bachhoes are like money in the mattress


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

KTM,

Is there anyone living around you that already has a hay baler, mower, and tedder? If you plan to bale your own hay............ a hay baler is not the only thing you will be buying. 

If there is someone who lives near you who already bales hay, you may be able to work a deal out like I did with my neighbor who told me he would bale all the hay I wanted at a dollar a bale. Only catch was I had to pick it up out of the field and stack it in the barn. If you can do the hard labor, you may be able to cut your hay cost in half or even more. Just something to consider as most balers require much more than what your Yanmar can put out on the pto and a decent disk mower sells for around $7,000; sicklebar mowers are much less and probably can be had for around $500 and up depending upon the condition. You can find used rakes for around $1500. Decent used square balers go for around $8000 to $12000. 

If you buy 400 bales a year and get a deal like I did. $400 a year will buy a more hay than you will ever break even with buying the equipment and baling your own. Just a thought in another direction.


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## Morgan (Oct 26, 2006)

If you want a baler for your tractor I just did a search and came up with these. If your happy with your tractor find things that will work with it, I see no need in getting big hp tractors for 50 acres unless you just want to hurry up and finish. I for one enjoy being out there in the fields farming on my little 8N Ford and enjoying the time I have to spend there.
Square Baler
http://www.agriquip.com/star/thb.html

Here is a small hp round baler
http://fotma.en.alibaba.com/product/50235158/51251553/Tractor_Implements/Mini_Roll_Baler.html

Video of a Small square baler in action
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KVH7gbtL14[/ame]

Small hp rake video
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkyev5GavkI&mode=related&search=[/ame]

Round Baler Video
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9ilSIUvc0A&mode=related&search=[/ame]


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## ktm rider (Aug 19, 2006)

Thanks for the ideas guys.
My backhoe is a Case 580B. It is a 1980 model with a cab. It is used for sure but not in terrible shape. I mostly use it for snow removal. ( 2.5 mile driveway and lots of snow ) 
I do have a neighbor that bales his hay but he recently sold his square baler and went with round bales. he is the busiest man on the planet that I know. He has a full time job and has about 50 head of cattle , so his time is extremeley limited.. 
My terrain is a combination of flat and hilly. I usually just brush hog the whole thing once a year with my Yanmar.. 
I have found the equipment in my area and I know I can use the rake and sickle bar with the Yanny, I was just wondering about the baler. 

Chief,
I think you came up with a VERY good system right there. I know a few guys that might be willing to do this... 

Here is a dumb question that I'm sure someone can answer for me. If my grandfather baled square bales with his 9N Ford with roughly the same PTO power as my Yanny, why can't the Yanny do the same work...???


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

It all depends upon the baler design and the pto hp horsepower requirements to drive it. 

In answer to your question, your Yanmar can probably turn the baler over OK with little to no load but when you get into the serious windrows, the baler will demand more hp than your Yanmar has to give and you will be either bogging it down or having to continually stop to recover rpm. With enough of this type of use; something is sure to give and it is likely not to be cheap. 

I am aware of the mini-balers but they cost as much or more in some cases as the typical size. 

If you can cut and rake the hay into windrows for whomever is going to bale it, so all they have to do is run the baler and go; you should be able to work out a very good price on the hay. I would think a dollar or less per bale. I would suggest starting at 50 cents a bale.


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