# Skid Steer for Loading Round Bales



## GPhillips (Oct 11, 2008)

We are looking at adding a skid steer to load 5.5x4 round bales. I typically load two high on a 24' gooseneck trailer. We are getting ready to build a hay barn that will allow me to stack 3 high in the barn. In an ideal world I would like to have a machine that I could either load with in the field or stack at the barn. I am used a skid steer a couple of times in the past, and would like to stay with hand controls, probably stay with a wheel machine, cab, heat, and air. I know this is going to open a can of worms but I need to know which machines I need to be looking for.

Thanks


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

If you're going 3 High with rounds we do that with a skid steer we stack them on the flats that way we can put one in place and lift the two right on top of their


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Your going to want a BIG machine. What price range are you looking at? Give us an idea on price/year and we can throw out some models to look into.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Don't limit yourself to the idea of using just a skid steer. Think telehandler, compact wheel loader, or even just a small wheel loader also. You can get by with smaller engines but more lift power then you can get with a skid steer. I guess it depends on how your barn is set up also.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Depends a lot on how the barn is set up like already said. I stack in hoop buildings using a backhoe, grab two at a time off the truck then stack flat, on the second layer I can stack two at a time with the backhoe. We have a tracked skid steer and I don't use it at all in the hay fields or the hoop buildings, most use it might see when stacking hay is to have the forks on it and bring more pallets in. Regardless of wheels or tracks a skid steer can tear the hell out of the surface, I keep a layer of top rock from the railroad in our buildings so the pallets don't freeze down in the winter, the skid steer makes a mess out of that in a hurry.

My other loader for getting bales out of the fields is a JD401C, handle one on back with a three point spear and two on front with a home made spear that attaches to the bucket. I've helped a cousin get his hay off the fields before and I can run circles around him with the 401 compared to his skid steer.


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## Flacer22 (Oct 31, 2009)

I stack my hay with a 318 John Deere.Its A little skid steer by skid steer standards it has wheels ac heat and all. Does a fine job Imo I use it to stack 2 high on my gooseneck with ease. It will stack my 4x5 3 high with ease and I've never had an issue with power even super wet dam Near silage bales it picks up ok. I also have a backhoe and really I prefer the skid steer I can get in tigher places and move around so much better. Only place it sucks is moving hay from field it's slow and I use the tractors for that but you can't beat it for loading unloading and stacking. It also serves me many purposes it's not just a one trick pony for one job I use the thing all over farm. it will skid things up and make a mess of my gravel barn floor but I just use it to smooth it up not much a problem Imo.


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## Beav (Feb 14, 2016)

JCB has a telescopic boom on their new skid steer. I use a telehandler to stack both round and sm. squares they are pricey but both would work better then a conventional skid steer and as I get older the side door on the JCB is easier to get in out of. I think the JCB skid steer is 65K


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Teslan has a good point with compact wheel loaders. If the length, height and cost of a compact wheel loader aren't an issue I'd go that way rather than a big skid steer.


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## GPhillips (Oct 11, 2008)

I would like to stay with a pre-emmissions machine with a budget of around $20,000. I have thought about a telehandler or wheel loader but I don't think I could find a decent one in my price range. The barn is a 32x40 that is open along one of the 40' sides so that I stack 7 bales like they come out on bottom, then 6, then 5 in a pyramid.

I will admit that I don't know much about skid steers, as my time in them is limited, but we do have a really good Deere construction dealer close by, a Kubota dealer, and a Case dealer close as well.

Thanks


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Because of your budget, I will suggest a bigger XT series or early 400 series Case. They all have hand controls and are powered by a Case labeled 4bt Cummins. Maybe I would pass on the biggest model of that line, the 95XT/465 because of its long wheel base. There are other brands to consider as well.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Just a helpful suggestion on stacking. I lay the bottom 2 rows on the flat and then set the third bale on top. I can get more in and less wasted space. The picture is some of my pole barns and shows the idea. I have a skid steer but don't stack in the first barn because I literally only have inches to spare and the tractor aids in visibility. On the skid steer, all I can do is guess and look at the bale in front of me. Big overhead clearance is a plus when using a skid steer and can't beat maneuverability but I can only extend just over 9 feet with the boom. So literally spear the bottom of the bale and kiss the bottom of the stack as I drive forward when stacking 3 high.

















I would run from any of the regen skidsteers. Ran a Bobcat 750 that I would run from if I were buying, nice to use when it wasn't constantly in regen. 863 was a nice machine. JD 328 is a good machine, cramp for some guys, overall nice but I can't remember how high the booms lift, never have used one with hay. I use a Case 1840 and like it, a little backwards because I use hands to raise and dump, foot for the remote but there is less foot/leg fatigue. I saw JCB's teleskid and love it but not the price lol.


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