Agricultural enterprises and farms actively use equipment connected to mini-tractors and walk-behind tractors in their daily activities. Such units significantly simplify the tasks of their owners, increase labor productivity and make production costs lower.
One of such devices are balers, with the help of which it is possible to automate the technology of harvesting and drying hay, as well as reduce labor costs for performing work.
Functions
What are balers and what are their main advantages? A mini hay press is an attachment that is used for preparing feed on livestock farms and collecting grass remaining after harvesting. First of all, a mower is installed on a mini-tractor or walk-behind tractor, which cuts the grass and places it in windrows.
The hay is allowed to dry for some time, after which the baler is used. The functions of the unit include collecting grass remaining after harvesting and fodder hay with subsequent pressing into compact bales. At the same time, the material occupies a minimum volume and is convenient for transportation and subsequent storage. The effectiveness of using the unit has been proven in practice and allows you to obtain the following advantages:
- High productivity, superior to other methods of harvesting hay and grass.
- Formation of bales that are compact and convenient for further processing.
- Excellent quality hay or straw assembly.
- Operability in all weather conditions.
- Wear resistance and maintainability of most equipment models.
Types of balers
Depending on the shape of the pressed bale, balers are divided into round and square units. Equipment of the first type forms rectangular bales, and the main working element in them is a special piston. For roll devices, the formation of cylindrical bales obtained by twisting the selected material is considered characteristic.
The compaction density also varies between products of different classes. For the first category, the degree of straw compaction does not exceed 100 kilograms per cubic meter, for the second and third, up to 200 and up to 300 kilograms per cubic meter, respectively. The choice of category is made depending on the requirements of the agricultural enterprise, financial capabilities and hay storage volumes.
The equipment is also divided according to the type of grass loading: front, side and top loading. Each method has certain advantages and disadvantages and can be used effectively in any volume. Based on the type of aggregation with walk-behind tractors and mini-tractors, there are mounted and semi-mounted equipment, self-propelled and trailed balers.
Prf-180B
Prf-180B is more often used to work with a small tractor; it has one axis, and the working chamber is cylindrical in shape and closed. This arrangement of the pressing chamber makes it possible to reduce losses of pressed material. The prf-180B model is characterized by high cross-country ability and increased ground clearance.
The working chamber is made of metal and consists of two parts. To regulate the winding density and weight of straw or hay, a roller and a shaft are installed in the chamber, as well as a sound device signaling the readiness of the bale.
Technical features of the baler prf - 180B:
- Dimensions: 410*250*284 cm,
- Weight: 2.4 tons,
- Size of the finished roll: 120 cm - length, 72 cm - radius,
- Hay bale weight: from 450 to 750 kg,
- Straw bale weight: from 300 to 450 kg.
Baler Krone
German Krone hay baling devices are of high quality and meet all international standards of agricultural machinery. Krone balers have several important advantages:
The closed working chamber reduces the loss of hay, straw or grass during work, and produces less dust.
- The bale formation cycle is not interrupted,
- They produce rolls of large mass,
- Simplicity of design and ease of maintenance,
- Capable of producing double knitting with twine,
- Capable of wrapping a roll with mesh,
- Have a minimum of chain drives,
- Twine chamber capacity: six spools and a roll of mesh,
- Does not require the use of a heavy tractor.
Krone round balers are available in several modifications, differing in the volume of the working chamber.
Hay baler for tractor
Agricultural enterprises in various regions of the country do not always require equipment of high power and productivity. Often the areas are small, scattered throughout the area and inconvenient for processing with large equipment. Such enterprises are usually equipped with small mini-tractors, for which a small baler is suitable.
The design of the unit can be either roll or bale, and the main feature is the ability to form the material into a package weighing about 20 kilograms. Processing such bales or rolls is possible without the use of expensive equipment, which is very convenient and efficient under the existing conditions. Another advantage of balers for mini-tractors is the ability to adjust the bale diameter and bale dimensions to the size of the warehouse. For more detailed information about the operating principle of mini-presses and their prices, read this article.
The use of such equipment aggregated with a mini-tractor gives the owner the following advantages:
- Formation of compact packages that can be worked without the use of equipment.
- Connection to mini-tractors with a power of about 25 horsepower, in most cases available on private farms.
- Efficient use in small areas, as well as in distributed fields that are inconvenient for cultivation.
- Long service life and wear resistance of equipment.
- Easy to install and operate in conjunction with a mini-tractor.
- Ease of use and the ability to customize packaging dimensions by the operator.
- Hydraulic bale ejection.
The use of an inexpensive baler paired with a mini-tractor can significantly increase labor productivity. For preparing feed for a small livestock farm or baling straw after harvesting in small areas, such equipment is quite sufficient. To install and connect to a mini-tractor, the effort of one person is enough, and the affordable price makes the unit the optimal choice for small farms and farmers.
Which one is better to choose?
When choosing a baler, it is necessary to take into account the size of the area being processed and the volume of work. If you plan to produce up to 1000 packages in one season, then an inexpensive machine, without additional body kits, or a mini-press will do. To produce 5,000 packages, it is recommended to choose a mid-class unit.
The best low-cost balers are Claas Rollant 44, Claas Rollant 66 and Claas Rollant 250.
These devices are equipped with reliable rollers made of sheet steel. They are easy to operate, knit with twine or a net, and are comfortable to use both in small and large areas.
Chinese
Among Chinese devices, it is recommended to consider an option such as a baler from Dingxin. Its weight is 490 kg, and its productivity is 3-4 tons of finished product per hour. The device wraps the roll in 2-6 layers. Dimensions: 3.5*1.5*1.4. The final weight of the finished roll can be adjusted in the range from 15 to 80 kg.
Another good and reliable unit is Neweek. The manufacturer gives it a warranty of more than a year. The weight of the device does not exceed 390 kg, the operating speed of the pick-up is 2-5 km/h, the tire size is 16*6.50-8-4RP. It is easy to transport. This device is used when processing small areas. The size of the resulting roll is 0.5*0.7 m.
Polish
Among Polish-made devices, it is recommended to choose a baler from Simpa. Dimensional parameters of the equipment - 4.85 * 2.5 * 1.55 m, total weight - 1510 kg, operating speed - 7 km/h, maximum transport speed - 15 km/h.
This device is suitable for processing large areas. Maximum output is 3,500 rolls per eight-hour shift. The power of the power unit is 38 horsepower, and the power consumption of electrical equipment is 25.5 kW.
Such a roll picker can work with any vehicle model with a minimum towing class of 0.9 and engine power of 38 horsepower.
Another
Among Russian-made models, SpeedWay 120 is a good option. Such equipment is used for processing large areas. The total weight of the product is 2200 kg, the width of the film used is 0.75 m, the highest transport speed is 10 km/h.
In 1 hour of operation, the equipment produces up to 60 rolls. Dimensional parameters of the finished product: 1.55*1.2 m.
The device is designed for high-speed packaging of grass, hay and straw in rolls in specialized film. There is a carriage equipped with a mechanism for tight winding, and an internal combustion engine equipped with an electric starter ensures autonomous operation of the packer.
Hay baler for walk-behind tractor
Heavy walk-behind tractors used by agricultural enterprises are almost as good as small mini-tractors in their capabilities. For such equipment, installing a round or square baler can significantly expand the technical capabilities and application options.
When choosing a unit for installation on a walk-behind tractor, you must pay attention to the following parameters:
- Equipment performance. If you plan to use the baler in areas of limited area, as well as for aggregation with an existing walk-behind tractor, this parameter is decisive.
- Complete set of equipment, the presence of such useful functions as a knitting machine.
- The useful volume of the chamber determines the maximum size of the bale or roll available for pressing and tying.
Most balers for walk-behind tractors are of the round type. Due to its affordable price, the equipment is in demand in small farms and livestock farms. Ease of operation, the ability to install on various types of equipment, wear resistance and excellent technical characteristics determine the demand for this type of product. In most cases, any malfunction can be fixed on your own, which further increases the popularity of such equipment.
Making a hay picker in a home workshop
A homemade hay harvester can be no worse than one bought at an agricultural equipment store. Moreover, when making a mini-pickup yourself, you can rely on the parameters of the available power unit (for example, a motor cultivator).
The baler is assembled according to the simplest scheme:
- Creation of a chassis on two pneumatic wheels.
- Installation of the conveyor and front cover on the chassis.
- It is advisable to purchase the pressing device assembled (for example, on the Internet in a special section in the “buy and sell” section). The finished block consists of a grid, several rollers and springs.
- Connect the two-speed gearbox to the driveshaft of the walk-behind tractor.
- For greater efficiency, it is recommended to install large gears on the receiving platform.
A factory-made baler or one made independently will save effort, time and money. And also get a good income from your activities and reduce feed losses.
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Owner reviews
Andrey:
I recently purchased a new roll hay picker Caliber PPS8050. To be honest, I was pleased with the baling unit. Compared to cheap Chinese analogues, the collection of grass is carried out to a much higher quality. At the end I get convenient and compact rolls. I transport it to the farm on a trailer. While the pick-up has not broken, I hope there will be no further troubles with it.
Victor:
I use a German baler WelgerAP530. The baler is excellent and worth the money spent. I have a fairly large herd that needs to be fed during the winter. After mowing and drying the grass, I hook the unit to my mini-tractor and quickly collect the hay into dense briquettes. No special effort is required, since I took a model with automated wrapping of rolls. I recommend the model to everyone.
Sergey:
We have several balers on our farm, as we have to cultivate large crop areas. In my opinion, the most convenient and productive is the Italian MiniritoM50 produced by Abbriata. The hay collector presses straw into 70 cm bales. I can completely fill the body of a Gazelle with such packages and transport a large amount of grass at a time. There have been no complaints about the work so far. The quality and reliability are excellent, I recommend these hay collectors.
Timur:
My friend and I spent a long time choosing a hay harvesting unit until we decided to purchase the SimpaZ-224/1 model. Our farm is small, so we have enough equipment. I’m especially pleased that you can connect it to both a walk-behind tractor and a mini-tractor. Therefore, my partner and I do not depend on each other and use a hay press with free technique. There are no questions about the quality of work of the device. The hay is compacted very tightly, and the field remains clean after the equipment passes through.
Igor:
I have been using a Krona brand baler for several years now and have no plans to change it until the baler completely falls apart. I am satisfied with both the productivity and the quality of hay harvesting. The rolls are quite dense, compact and not heavy. A big plus of the Krona is the ability to work with viscous material, so I don’t really think about the weather when preparing feed. I’m very glad that now I don’t collect hay by hand.
Renat:
I use Chinese balers, round and square balers. Not everyone likes these products, but I am very pleased with my units. I usually attach the roll picker to a walk-behind tractor and work on small mowings. My baling machine is quite large and productive. I connect it to the SCOUT mini-tractor and off to the field. I got both of them inexpensively and have long since justified themselves. Therefore, I have nothing against Chinese equipment and recommend it to anyone who wants to save money and purchase quality equipment.
