New Holland (and by extension CaseIH) have a "Utility" size round baler that was intended for use on smaller operations and I have seen Youtube videos of them being run with smaller HP tractors like your. I think Massie may also have come out with a similar smaller round baler, but I don't remember for sure. Problem is they are new enough that to buy one is a lot of money. You could probably buy a little bigger used tractor and a used round baler for the same amount of money (or less).

 

I'm going to disappoint you, just buy round bales. Square bale all you can, get your pastures right, get your cattle right, etc. You are wanting to spend money before you make money. If you don't treat this 'romantic and noble' occupation as a business you are going to be really hurt.

You have to spend money to make money. However in your case you need to start very small and learn about cattle, hay, pastures, weather, fertilizer, death, diseases, growth, fencing, and on and on and on. So when you can learn to use what you have, you will have a better appreciation for what it takes. Once you have set your foundation, then build on it.

Slowly add equipment as you grow.

 

Sooner or later if you stick to it you will need and get a bigger tractor.

But, we all gotta learn that ine for ourselves. Your tractor will handle a Hesston 5530 /530 /730 /CIH 8420? /Massey 1734. All the same baler.

 

Jimmy, you used at least nine exclamation points in your post! You must be excited to be a farmer, and I don't blame you at all!

Now, I'm gonna give you some advise you will not follow, because it is too simple, too logical, and doesn't have thrills with big horsepower behind it all!

Get your soil tested. In fact, I would hire an agronomist from a large university or get a recommendation from the U of Virginia, etc, as to who to hire to do a compete soil survey on your property. This might cost as much as $1000, but I doubt it.

The alternative to this is to buy a new $100,000 tractor and drive it around your 180 acres blindfolded! Yeah, that's it!!!

 

Thank you all! Wise words...

I have already done the soil test and awaiting results. Soil is mapped. Local ag extension agent is very familiar with stockpiling.

I hope to proceed wisely...but I must do this as quickly as possible, with the fewest mistakes...that is why I ask for recommendations.

Heck, I'm starting this 10 years too late...I am to dang old to lift another square bale!

 

It's not too late. I started at 62 and I'm doing fine. This type of work is hugely satisfying, good luck.

 

I'm familiar with Hillsville VA and Galax too - been there many times.

The number you should be looking at is PTO hp - not necessarily drawbar hp. I think tractordata lists your tractor at 42 PTO hp.

IMHO you could probably make a 4x4 round bale - though take my advice on a round baler with a grain of salt as I've never used one. You don't have to have as much HP - IF you're not in such a hurry - but someone correct me on this if I"m totally out in left field.

With respect to the New Holland 268 square baler - IMHO you have plenty of hp to operate it and a wagon behind if you choose.

I think of round vs square this way - all other reasons for/against, not withstanding:

If you're selling, the money is in square bales (so is the work and expense/labor that goes with it). If you're feeding your own cattle, round bale is the only way to go as the cost/labor/time per bale is IMHO much lower.

If you want to stick with squares, perhaps a grapple/accumulator system would allow you to continue with your tractor and your NH268?

Speaking of quicker - one of the wraps on the smaller MF/Hesston round balers is that the bale is so small, you are stopping and unloading very frequently.

I've got a 50ish PTO JD and a 38ish PTO MF tractor. If I buy a round baler (and might one of these days if labor just becomes a problem), I've thought about getting a 4x5 baler and making 4x4 bales with it. If I ever got a larger hp tractor, I'd have a baler I could use to make the larger 4x5 bales.

Good luck,

Bill

 

I do rotational grazing of my 24 head herd, have about 23 pastures and roughly 120 acres of hay land off the farm. Our entire life we square baled, 3 years ago I bought a gehl 1475, round baled dry hay. Much better, other than issues with the gehl. The next year I bought a wrapper and went to silage. This year I finally gave up on the gehl and went to a used Krone KR130. Best thing I ever did. Bought it used in August, done over 500 bales with it, should have made the switch a long time ago.

Fwiw, I would put your time and money into a good high tensile fence system and buy your hay initially. Once you get the grazing caught up and are in good shape to get all you can with grazing, then decide if you want to be in the hay business. Haying is a time and money suck. Make sure the #'s work before you jump in. Let the cattle harvest their own hay as much as possible, the less you have to buy or make, the better off you'll be.