# Soft Core Round Bales - Anyone Still Using/Making Them???



## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Seems like everyone around me is making hard core round bales these days.

Question - anyone still making soft core round bales? If so - why? Is there an advantage to a soft core bale over a hard core Is there a market for soft core bales?

From time to time I see an older soft core baler come-up for sale, generally in pretty good shape vs a similar aged/sized hard core baler and the prices are pretty good.

If selling a soft core bale - how to you "sell" it to the customer? My understanding (take it with a grain of salt) is the soft core bale, same size is less weight, doesn't unroll as easily and can be a bit unsightly vs a tight packed hard core bale.

On the flip side of it, I gather the soft core bale can cure better than a hard core bale and it's bales are more tolerant of earlier/later in the day baling.

I see some New Idea belt type soft core balers for sale, an occasional Krone. By definition, would a chain type baler be a soft core baler - like a New Holland chain baler?

Thanks!

Bill


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

There are chain type softcore but not the NH's. I bought a softcore roller baler last year because it was cheap. The curing is supposed to be better but its not going to be magic.

We've been feeding them out a few at a time this fall, they seem to unroll ok, no worse than dealing with the tight core. We stored on end so they don't really deform or sag, I'm sure on the side they would sag a bit.

If I was selling rounds I would prefer a hard core baler. For our use on the farm, the softcore sure is nice to start bales in all conditions and again did I mention cheap to buy?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

A decent condition ROLLER soft-core baler will make a nice bale, even a marketable bale. A decent condition BELT soft-core baler will leave you hating life.


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## Cattleman1524 (Oct 27, 2014)

A krone soft core baler like the kr 130 make had yet soft core bales that don't get musty like hard core do


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Cattleman1524 said:


> A krone soft core baler like the kr 130 make had yet soft core bales that don't get musty like hard core do


Hard core bales don't get musty smelling if baled at 15% or below moisture


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## kyfred (Dec 23, 2009)

We still use a M&W 4590 roll baler was bought in 1990 very little problems has the plastic wrap instead of net wrap. Still using it because it still makes good rolls for us for our own use . ArtsWay bought the patent and advertise on their website like they are building them but it appears they don't have any intentions to build them at this time. That's my son rolling the hay.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Thanks everyone for your replies - very helpful info!!!!


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## foz682 (Jan 10, 2013)

We use a Claas rollant which is a roller baler, It make pretty decent bales if you slow down just as the bale chamber is nearly full.

Why?? My father bought the baler in '96 because it was one of the few on the market that had a rotocutter in it, it was an expensive baler at the time, serves us well and we've never really had any reason to trade up.

They unroll just fine if we don't use the rotocut, they just kind of fall apart when chopped.

We've never had any problem selling bales, no one really seems to notice there is a difference.

4x4 bales of dry hay weigh around 450-500 lbs and baleage around 1300 lbs.

We stack them 5 high, the bottom 2 rows on their ends to keep them from squashing.


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