# flakes per bale



## yarnammurt (Jan 1, 2014)

How many flakes per bale is average? Still trying to get this 575 to bale right


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## yarnammurt (Jan 1, 2014)

And strokes per min


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Y- just curious, why do you worry about strokes or flake counts. I have never had any customer ask for a different number of "flakes" or sections as we called them as youngsters. I see a lot of comment about it on these forums, just don't understand what the big deal is. If you are running at the designated speed or slightly lower if that is your taste, and you are feeding the baler with a reasonable amount of hay based on ground speed and windrow bulk the rest really doesn't matter does it?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

I feel like it's something like 14-18, depending on bale length, but you can certainly go lower before you start getting poor quality bales. That said, I agree with hayman.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Hayman1 said:


> Y- just curious, why do you worry about strokes or flake counts.


Hayman, it gives you a better handle on keeping a certain bale length when using various accumulators and bandits and barons, that require certain bale lengths. When you get "off" in stroke count at a certain speed you know it is time to make adjustments either up or down(either hay drying or increasing in moisture) to maintain your needed length. Just another tool.

Regards, Mike


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Mike- that explains my ignorance on the issue. I have either used drop and pick or Kicker wagons all my hay life. Never any accumulators. Nice thing about kicker wagons, they willingly accept whales, blimps, flybys(well they don't really catch them) and smalls without complaint. Only had one customer complain on size variation and when she wanted to pick bales, I told her she could pick all the bales she wanted for $10/bale when hay was going for 4-5. that cured the problem.


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

I agree with VOL, if you are hand picking and stacking it makes very little difference. If you are using a bale wagon, they are sensitive to longer or shorter bales. They like consistency. The goal is to run a speed that keeps the bales the same length and uses the baler to it's potential. the last thing you want is to crowd it enough that it spits out bales that vary by 6 inches or more in length, either shorter or longer. For us, here, the optimum stroke count is 13 to 16 strokes.
I realize that the windrow has as much to do with bale length as baler strokes does, but it is easier to take one of the variables out of the equation.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Folks that feed horses seem to like about a 2-3" thick flake.

The length of flake is the +/- variation that a well tuned baler will do. For example, with 2" flakes you will get at least 2" more likely 4" variation in a perfectly setup baler.

One of our balers the little notches on the measuring wheel got smooth and would slip and spit out an extra 12" every so often.


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## northonthayfarmer (Jun 21, 2014)

I previously asked a similar question here - someone advised 9 to 14 strokes per bale. And that seems about right. The old NHs seem to make the best bales when they are neither starved for hay in the pick up or struggling to keep up. I run mine slightly below 540, (1600 rpm on the MF 281 and 1800 on the MF 4609) and gear up or down according to the windrow size. If the kid on the wagon can't keep up - I add another kid. My old balers like dry hay best - if baling in high humidity I use preservative and have to loosen the tension right off.


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

Believe it or not, we bought some of the neighbors hay and most of our customers asked us why the flakes were so big - he runs 1 baler too fast to keep ahead of his wagon. Many of the horse folks feed hay by the number of flakes..... "Give each horse 2 flakes right now....." that really goofs them up when they get to a 6inch flake vs a 2 inch one...... if the windrows are very even, a guy can run down to about 9 flakes per bale without too much trouble from the wagon guy, but 12-14 makes a much nicer bale, and they are more uniform.

Rodney


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

I have had a couple of horse hay customers comment on flake size. They seem to prefer a 2"-3" flake. As stated earlier, the bales are more uniform if flake/strokes are consistent. We shoot for 15-20 strokes/bale on a 36" bale. The accumulator and grapple like this size and when stacked in the barn, the stacks are much more stable. Speaking of strokes/bale, that's why I prefer an open station tractor while square baling. I just can't hear the baler working well enough in a cab. I like to listen to the strokes and knotters going off. If the row in consistent, no problem, set the speed and gear and close the window and turn on the A/C and radio and any idiot can square bale. If the field varies though, a guy needs to be paying attention to the baler.

The only acual complaint I've ever had is with bale weight. Some of ladies don't like our very tight bales. Ours run about 60# with a 36" bale. We could make 'em less but #1, the grapple handles 'em better, and #2, I believe in giving a person their moneys worth. If we were handling by hand, I'd probably lighten 'em up some. I'm just getting to old and lazy to throw 60# idiot bricks in the sun and heat these days!,,,


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Strokes per bale.

If you are putting up a 42" long bale weighing 85 lbs you probably want close to 18 strokes per bale.

With a 3" flake if the baler is just short of a tie at the end of the standard strokes per bale, then the next bale will be 3" too long. That is fairly manageable. If you have three bales in a row 3" too long that row will be 9" too long. Something that is usually not much of a problem with a bale wagon.

I like a 55 lb 34" long bale. That bale will be tight enough to not shift in a stack.
I like to bale at 15 strokes per bale. but when pushing I will go to 12 strokes per bale. At 11 strokes per bale I will drop; down a gear.

Usually the bale will roll off the bale turner one stroke after the tying system trips. If the bale rolls off 3 strokes after tying, I get off and measure bale length and feel the weight, Usually if 3 or 4 strokes after tripping the bales are too short. If the bales fall before the twister trips they are too long. Still get off and measure and feel the bales.

There many variables that will make a lie of this rule of thumb.
Warning changing the tension on the bale chute will effect bale length, so after a few bales with some extra pressure on the bale chamber get down and measure the length and feel the weight

Here settings change quickly. Many days the hay will be borderline damp starting, and 2 hours later the hay will be too dry to retain the leaves.
If I expect there is more hay than I can bale in 2 hours I will rake a third of the field early that morning, folding the night dew inside the windrow. Gives me an extra hour of baling.

In 2011 we had less than one hour to bale before excessive leaf shattering.

For Years and Years our academic friends have insisted not to rake hay that is less than 40% moisture. 
West Virginia tells us if the air, down next to the hay is 90% humidity the hay will be No Less Than 40% moisture.

Here we have growers who start to rake after their noon meal. Here our hay is usually about right to bale about 11 AM and be too dry to bale by 1 or 2 PM.

This is why TAMU tells us the typical protein is 6 or 7%. Bale with enough moisture and it is difficult to put up a bale at less than 12% CP.

Most get paid by Good thing is you need less fertilizer.

http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/pubnwsltr/TRIM/5811.pdf


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Think about it, Count strokes per bale, Watch the timing of the bale leaving the chute.

Keep an eye on the on the go moisture tester, Stay on the windrow, Keep an eye out for damp hay or worse wet slugs,

Don't run over any bales,

Keep; from going into a fence.

Does this make baling worth > $300/hour.?


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