# Using Skidsteer to Load Road Bales in Feeder



## D.C.Cattle Company

For years I have used my JD 4020 with front loader to move road bales into the round bale feeders. I would pick one up with the front loader, take to the cattle pen, get off tractor and CUT THE NET WRAP AND REMOVE FROM BALE, then get back on tractor and place bale in feeder. Well I finally retired the 4020 and purchased a new NH skid steer loader with a cab and door.

My question is how can I complete the bale process now. I cant get out of the skid steer, unless I am willing to raise it above the cab and then crawl out under it.

How do others complete this process safely by their self...


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## Farmerbrown2

I don’t know the answer but I give you a lot of credit for not getting out of a skid loader with boom in the air. My neighbor crushed his leg with a NH skid steer took him 18 months till he could walk again. All because an electric selinoid left the boom circuit open. The insurance company had technicians check loader out and couldn’t get machine to do it again.


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## Tim/South

When I fed in hay rings and loaded with the skid steer, I would stand the bale on it's end, get out and unwrap it, then stick it and put into the hay ring. I tried not to feed in rings by myself, always better if I could have someone unwrap while I sat in the cab.

I have an extension on the hay spear now days. It gives enough room to get out but is higher than I like to stop down in my old age. I can tilt the bale back and let it down a good bit. The back of the bale is still sits on the ground a little but I can get off to open a gate or something. We had the extension made so we could reach across a trailer better when unloading. Also have it angled up some so I can tilt the roll back more. No longer lose a roll with the skid steer going down hill.


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## Vol

Short of buying a JCB side entry skid steer, it is a dilemma on getting in and out while using the lift. It makes me nervous about doing that, but I have done so with a grapple and small squares attached.

Regards, Mike


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## BWfarms

This is where the John Deere 328 is nice as the door opens into the cockpit. You can set the bale down, get out, cut wrap/twine down low and throw it over to the other side and tie it off to a t post or something. Then back up and move around it so you don't wrap it up underneath.


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## BWfarms

But some doors might let you out if you lower the boom all the way and then lift bale 2-3" off ground. Just enough you can pull it out from underneath.


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## endrow

Yes carry the bale to feed location,, stand round bale on end ,, put boom down and open door ,, get out of skid loader and remove net wrap ,, get back in skid loader close door ; pick bale up with skid loader and put bale in feeder


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## mlappin

Yep, skid steers are great for some things, others not so much. Pretty much like endow says is how I do it.


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## swmnhay

I lift the bale 1/2 way over the edge of the ring so the bale can't come down it would hit the ring.

I do use the cone type feeders and they are about 5' tall so it does give me room to get out of cab plus I can use feeder to climb up to reach netwrap.


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## Kasey

Older nh could lock booms up from in the cab. Then you only need to worry about the whole machine tipping over on you


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## carcajou

I usually set a round bale on the ground, round side down, Then i cut the net off as low to one side as possible then flip the net over to the other side as low as possible and set the net where a drive tire will be when i spear the flat side of the bale. When i spear the flat the tire keeps the net on the ground when the bale is lifted and i don't have to get out till after the bale is in the feeder. I find the bale stays together better this way/ less mess.


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## IH 1586

Have any interest in purchasing a bale grapple? I used to use one for putting bales out in the pasture. Remove net at barn grapple take out and drop. Never have to get out and won't lose hay


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## r82230

Man, I'm thinking of a genetic that can easily be put into a cow, that would make her grab the end of the net wrap so you could back up and un-wrap the bale. You would only need to have one GMO cow per feeding area, you would keep her until she didn't grab the net wrap anymore (it she still raised a calf every year would be a bonus). You would need to train her to put the net wrap in the trash however.  I got go figure out the pricing/marketing metrics, before the tree huggers out law the possibility. 

Larry

PS My first though was maybe tying a knot in the end of the net wrap, allowing it to hang down off the bale. Then have V shaped piece of metal vertically attached on top of hay ring, that you could catch the knot into, allowing you to back up unwrapping net. But then realized that it wouldn't be very marketable, because farmers would make their own from the scrap metal pile.


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## OhioHay

We have a JCB and that is one of the big advantages of the side door.


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## D.C.Cattle Company

Thanks for all the input. I did the stand the bale on end, cut the net wrap off and then put the bale ring over it.. Pretty simple. Next time I feed I will cut each side of the net wrap (I have cover edge) and make it easier to get the wrap off.

Thanks again. Moo


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## endrow

swmnhay said:


> I lift the bale 1/2 way over the edge of the ring so the bale can't come down it would hit the ring.
> 
> I do use the cone type feeders and they are about 5' tall so it does give me room to get out of cab plus I can use feeder to climb up to reach netwrap.


If i think the bale will fall apart as soon as the wrap comes off i will do it that way also .


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## endrow

BWfarms said:


> This is where the John Deere 328 is nice as the door opens into the cockpit. You can set the bale down, get out, cut wrap/twine down low and throw it over to the other side and tie it off to a t post or something. Then back up and move around it so you don't wrap it up underneath.


I always hated the doors on the New Hollands . We have an Kubota skid loader it has a roll up door like on the rear of the backhoe . Nice you can open or close any time you want regardless of boom position


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## PaMike

The doors are great on NH machines...for NH!!! You know how many doors they sell at 1k each cause someone caught it with the boom and tore it off! I often think their design is to help eliminate people getting out with the boom part way up and not on the locks..


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## 8350HiTech

I just take the door off and leave it in the shed


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## Vol

8350HiTech said:


> I just take the door off and leave it in the shed


What door? 

Regards, Mike


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## PaMike

I am getting soft in my old age. I thought I would do the same thing but its nice to be warm. I am also tracking 1/2 mile out a farm lane to feed..


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