Re: Round bales

[jclement@baervan.nmt.edu (Joe N. Clement)]

With the arrival of numerous large dairy farms here in SE New Mexico, the
majority of alfalfa farners have gone to the large, square bales you
describe. What they are is one ton bales, since the dairies buy their feed
by the ton. They're mostly used by commercial growers, and require some
expensive, specialized equipment. Or so I've been told.

>On Tue, 26 Dec 1995 16:34:05 -0500 you wrote:
>
>>Many of the farmers around us here in rural New York use round bales too.  I 
>>think that most of these are hay not  straw.  It is more efficient to feed
stock
>>that way I guess, also it frees up barn space as they are often stored
outdoors,
>>typically along hedgerows, or the edges of fields.
>
>Here, in Alberta, round bales are used by a lot of farmers.  Not only hay but
>straw.  With the round bales, you are able to feed better, they can be stored
>out where you will need them rather than inside a barn miles from the
>livestock, and you need fewer people to move them.
>
>Using a round bale feeder, all you do is drop a round bale in, slit the twine,
>and let the livestock at it.  While baling, one person can cut, bale and then
>stack(three steps, but only one person).  Compare that to the work required
>when using small square bales.
>
>A nice bale I've noticed here is a large square bale(looks like the small bale
>but MUCH bigger).  I took notes of who in the area baled with one and next
>summer I'm going to get some more info from them.  Should be interesting.  All
>the advantages of the big round bales plus you can build with them<g>.
>
>
>>
>>John
>>
>>
>	Brian Proud, CD, CET, Team OS2 Canada
>	Delburne, Alberta
>
>Virus checking initiated... completed.  All viruses functioning normally.
>
>
Joe Clement



"When cows laugh, does milk come out of their noses?"