'Modern' Heston weights (barley straw)

[Danllan]

I've not had anything to do with large square bales for a long time. Last time I bought some they were, from memory, around the 500kg mark. I'll be getting some in the New Year, so had a chat with a friend last night about price etc. and, when I said it was a bit steep, I discovered my current ignorance, he says that 550-600kg is a better bet now. Obviously any estimate is going to depend on the kit used but, since I can't weigh them here, does this sound about right? TIA

 

[le bon paysan]

Buying per bale?
Buy a crane scale.

 

[Danllan]

Buying per bale?
Buy a crane scale.

He said that, but I'll only need a dozen or so and then, next year, I'll back with my normal supply. It's not the end of the world if I have to pay a wee bit over, Just looking for a rough idea.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

600 kg ish

 

[Derrick Hughes]

550 would be a good poke in the dark

 

[Al R]

@Hanzcock how much do your Krone bales weigh?

 

[roscoe erf]

545kg

 

[milkloss]

That's what they tell you is in the bale...... what it actually weighs can be entirely different.

Had quite a few 1/2 tonners last year that I wasn't too confident about.

 

[Andrew]

If it’s a proper Hesston (ie 4’ x 4’) baled well 550-600 is about right

 

[paul&mandy]

between 550-600 according to the baler scales

 

[Danllan]

Thanks all, that gives me a fair idea. I'll work on the principle it's a bit over 550kg. As I wrote,it's not a huge amount of money to lose or gain, but I hadn't realised just how much heavier they have got.

The question that now comes to mind is, and bearing in mind what most loaders can currently manage, will bales continue to get bigger? If contractor-kit-inflation is anything to go by, the answer will be yes...

 

[Al R]

Thanks all, that gives me a fair idea. I'll work on the principle it's a bit over 550kg. As I wrote,it's not a huge amount of money to lose or gain, but I hadn't realised just how much heavier they have got.

The question that now comes to mind is, and bearing in mind what most loaders can currently manage, will bales continue to get bigger? If contractor-kit-inflation is anything to go by, the answer will be yes...

Bales onto a trailer/lorry is the issue, 8x4 is a good size with most haulier preferring 8x4x3 over 8x4x4 like the old hesstons were. Hence why most balers are now 120x90. Huge advancements in densities the last 5 years with @Hanzcock running 2 Krone HDP 2 120x90’s

 

[Andrew]

The question that now comes to mind is, and bearing in mind what most loaders can currently manage, will bales continue to get bigger? If contractor-kit-inflation is anything to go by, the answer will be yes...

No. You can get 550kg in a 4x3 ft bale now, but the straw needs to be dry to be good. Any more and trucks would be overweight / bales too heavy for the power stations. Size and density will stay the same, output may increase but doubtful in my opinion due to the large horsepower needed.

 

[onthehoof]

No. You can get 550kg in a 4x3 ft bale now, but the straw needs to be dry to be good. Any more and trucks would be overweight / bales too heavy for the power stations. Size and density will stay the same, output may increase but doubtful in my opinion due to the large horsepower needed.

We had a Kuhn 4x3 baler on demo, driver says how tight do you want them we've been getting over 600kg, I said ffs don't bale them that tight I'm the one who has to spread them this winter.

 

[Andrew]

We had a Kuhn 4x3 baler on demo, driver says how tight do you want them we've been getting over 600kg, I said ffs don't bale them that tight I'm the one who has to spread them this winter.

We had one on demo too. Probably the same one with the same driver. Took great pleasure in telling us they averaged 580kg. He stopped smiling when I weighed a load, they were 465kg.

 

[AndrewM]

claas quadrant 6 string bales here were 340 ish kg in winter barley straw. weighed on cattle crush scales.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Thanks all, that gives me a fair idea. I'll work on the principle it's a bit over 550kg. As I wrote,it's not a huge amount of money to lose or gain, but I hadn't realised just how much heavier they have got.

The question that now comes to mind is, and bearing in mind what most loaders can currently manage, will bales continue to get bigger? If contractor-kit-inflation is anything to go by, the answer will be yes...

All weather dependent. But I can't see a contractor wanting to invest in a 8 string baler and not run it at capacity when conditions are not 100 % . But we have had not issue with the 3 farms that use them . Weights hitting 600 kg