Contractors baler not baling bales properly

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
The co
Good replies so far, thanks. I briefly had a whinge to manager man a couple of months ago, he mumbled something about COVID and a lack of skilled drivers......it kind of makes sense because I didn't really have any problems with the construction of the bales last year. I wonder if it's going to be the same story with another contractor? Afterall, they all rely on seasonal workers coming in from UK/Ireland.

Does challenging terrain make the job harder for them? Some of my paddocks are pretty horrible, I certainly noticed more damaged wrap and funny shaped bales on steep paddocks.


Perfection seems to go out the window the moment you rely on someone else to do a job.


Certainly not the cheapest, nor is it "a" man....more like a family owned contracting/dairy farming empire.


I would love to withold some money, the problem is the bales were made and paid for 9 months ago.

But the 'Manager' had drivers so can't blame Covid, its a lack of training before they start that seems to be the issue. If you can't get skilled drivers but do have a supervisor, the supervisor should be maintaining standards.


I'm wondering where you are now? :unsure:
 

Carlbous

New Member
There is no excuse really these days with modern machinery.Poor raking is my biggest problem,single rotor rakes the main culprit cos they take a bit to set up properly and most dont bother just crack on.All my customers want to rake their own grass,despite trying to educate a couple of poor ones,the raking is the key to good shape bales which are easier to wrap properly.
They seem a bit silly to me. A twin rota rake saves them money surely. Half as many trips around a field and better bales following it.
 

Sid

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Molton
There is no excuse really these days with modern machinery.Poor raking is my biggest problem,single rotor rakes the main culprit cos they take a bit to set up properly and most dont bother just crack on.All my customers want to rake their own grass,despite trying to educate a couple of poor ones,the raking is the key to good shape bales which are easier to wrap properly.
Had to ask someone doing some raking for me to widen the rows even though the others he raked for were happy with narrow rows.
Heard since customers had been complaining about his odd shaped bales.

Nice wide rows is key
 

Classichay

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
The moon
We had a guy a few years back came asked him to row up as we were busy little baling, his driver took out the oak gate post and didn’t notice it (9” square post) which should have been a warning sign, got out the cab and waited for the boss man to come along. He had to set him up with the rake then proceeded to row all the sh!t and uncut grass out the hedge row then found the concrete water trough which was sat back 4ft in uncut grass, at which the same time the boss said rowing up would be dearer- I that’s ok but the cost of the oak gate post and the concrete trough is coming off. Cheeky twunt wound the baler back, we went to the weigh Bridge next door after he went 1/2 weight bales, so he got 1/2 rate paid never did come round to explain what he was playing at or the fact he was 2 days late initially,
 
Last edited:
Evening
As I chew through my winter supply of wrapped baleage, I'm running into a lot of problem bales which are a nightmare to unwrap in one piece, often ending up with bits of wrap and strands of net tangled up between the layers of silage. I guess what I want to know is, how well do balers actually work? How consistent should the end product be? What's "normal"? My thinking is that every bale should be almost perfect and a modern baler is idiot proof if it's set up and working properly....or am I expecting too much?

Issues are:
-Layers of silage between layers of wrap
-Layers of silage between layers of net
-Layers of net tangled in between layers of wrap
-Cone shaped bales which have lots of silage bunched up on one end and net all bunched up on the other end
-Bales coming out of the baler with massive holes torn in the wrap, usually near the edge. Not too many of these fortunately.

Raked with big tractor and 2 or 4 rotor rake, baled with massive tractors with Krone, Kuhn and McHale combis. Worst bales seem to be coming out of the Kuhn. Not chopped.

Last year I had them mow, rake, bale and stack, the mowers left half the paddock behind, the stackers ripped holes in every third bale. This year I had them rake and bale only, and they've made a bit of a mess of that too. Tempted to change to a different contractor, maybe I'm being a bit picky. Maybe they had inexperienced drivers because COVID. It's not like I know anything about balers.

Thoughts?
What area are you from? Would definitely talk to contractor first. Communication is key!
 

hally

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
cumbria
In contracting you win and lose customers all the time but it is nice if someone who leaves you maybe catches you at the auction and says why. Maybe price or bales/ wrap not good bit it’s always nice to know so you can improve your service to the next man. Sadly farmers just say nought and keep out of your road for a while generally.
 

Huwie

Member
Cut with conditioner then ted with a teagle super ted woffler day after. YES slower than bailing a raked field but bales are the best. Even flow going into the full width of the pick up reel at all times. Can’t beat it. Bales are a superb shape and hard
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
i row up with a haybob , never fuss over it either apart from as straight as possible.

no problem with bale shape ever with our belt baler,and we bale ourselves so no contractor to moan about anything plus we get it baled exactly when we want it baled.
 

Huwie

Member
My contractor refuses to do good hard bales this year. He will only let gauge go to 12 clock on gauge rather than well in the red as previous years on a mchale Baler. Too much strain on Baler and cost of fuel and wanting to make more sh!t bales for me to pay for which is wrong. We have all got bills to pay and the price of my fuel and wrap but I do wrap myself. 110 bales from 9 acres light crop compared to 75 year good crop. Not happy
 

balerman

Member
Location
N Devon
My contractor refuses to do good hard bales this year. He will only let gauge go to 12 clock on gauge rather than well in the red as previous years on a mchale Baler. Too much strain on Baler and cost of fuel and wanting to make more sh!t bales for me to pay for which is wrong. We have all got bills to pay and the price of my fuel and wrap but I do wrap myself. 110 bales from 9 acres light crop compared to 75 year good crop. Not happy
Ive not done a 10 bale/acre crop yet this year,crops are generally lighter.That would be unacceptable to me,i would have a word,if that dont work,change contactor.I normally find if you get more than 10 per acre its massively overgrown,or very wet,neither probably apply to your crop.
 
Ive not done a 10 bale/acre crop yet this year,crops are generally lighter.That would be unacceptable to me,i would have a word,if that dont work,change contactor.I normally find if you get more than 10 per acre its massively overgrown,or very wet,neither probably apply to your crop.
What would you charge for raking 20 acre hay and baling ,4 ft rounds And bales weighing 250 kg 6 miles away ,good level field
 

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