# Preservative Applicators



## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

I've been considering adding an applicator to my small square baler. This is something I'll probably only use a couple of times a year. With our weather, the rest of the time I can do 3-day hay with no problem. I've been looking at the manual 25 gal. Harvest Tec unit and the 25 gal. Dohrmann unit with the in-cab variable speed control. For the life of me I cannot see why the Harvest Tec unit should cost $1K more than the Dohrmann unit when they are essentially a tank, valve, pump, and spray nozzles. Can someone please enlighten me? I'm sure I'm missing something somewhere.......


----------



## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Mike, Personally, I think it's a ripoff. I took mine off and put a silo king on and am going to sell mine. Wish that I had never bought it. Mike


----------



## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

NDVA HAYMAN said:


> Mike, Personally, I think it's a ripoff. I took mine off and put a silo king on and am going to sell mine. Wish that I had never bought it. Mike


Whats the ripoff Mike? Applicator, acid? I considered a Gandy box and dry preservative, but I'm only dealing with stem moisture and have always been told acid is best. I don't know though.....that's why I'm asking.


----------



## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

For one, the price of these units is out of line for what you get. My second problem was with horse owners complaining about the NH preservative. They said their horses didn't like it. So I tried it on our own horses and they didn't like it. I think the system works good and I'm not knocking the system itself if you don't mind paying the price. I threw a dry applicator on, keeping the moisture meter and have had no problems and horses seem to like it. Seems like I could bale longer at a little higher moisture and don't have any problems with Silo King. It was very frustrating using the NH preservative on top quality timothy and the stock not wanting to eat it. I used 2-30 gallon drums and quit. I still have 1 full drum left over.


----------



## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

With our climate (humidity) we use Hew Holland "Crop Saver" on every bale never had much in complaints from horse people we think the product works well . We are thimking about trying some diffrent preservatives this coming year


----------



## SVFHAY (Dec 5, 2008)

NDVA HAYMAN said:


> For one, the price of these units is out of line for what you get. My second problem was with horse owners complaining about the NH preservative. They said their horses didn't like it. So I tried it on our own horses and they didn't like it. I think the system works good and I'm not knocking the system itself if you don't mind paying the price. I threw a dry applicator on, keeping the moisture meter and have had no problems and horses seem to like it. Seems like I could bale longer at a little higher moisture and don't have any problems with Silo King. It was very frustrating using the NH preservative on top quality timothy and the stock not wanting to eat it. I used 2-30 gallon drums and quit. I still have 1 full drum left over.


I agree. It is overpriced. How soon after baling are you feeding?


----------



## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

So you can a Dohrmann unit for $100? I had seen that the price on the std electronic for harvestec was like $1130. When we got the first one I think they were $7xx..... Been using that for over 10 years, and have had a tens of thousands of bales eaten by horses that had acid on it. Timothy, orchardgras, alfalfa. We did the opposite of NDVA, and took the gandy boxes off.

Rodney


----------



## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

We start feeding our new hay 2 months after baling. Mike


----------



## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

Rodney R said:


> So you can a Dohrmann unit for $100? I had seen that the price on the std electronic for harvestec was like $1130. When we got the first one I think they were $7xx..... Been using that for over 10 years, and have had a tens of thousands of bales eaten by horses that had acid on it. Timothy, orchardgras, alfalfa. We did the opposite of NDVA, and took the gandy boxes off.
> 
> Rodney


The quote I got from my JD dealer for the Harvest Tec was $1,621.71 plus freight. The price from Dohrmann for a DE-25 was $649 plus $149 for the speed control. Not sure what the extra to Harvest Tec buys me?

I also got a quote for a Harvest Tec 400 series Automatic applicator......$6,565.00


----------



## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

Like I said, I saw a price printed on Messick's flyer of $1130 ish for the harvestec applicator, that's going to be a 25 gallon tank, and the electronic controls to vary the application rate. A guy needs to use the pressure gauge to know how much preservative is going out with either system. I see that you're in TX, but any color of machinery dealer will be able to sell you a harvestec applicator. The applicator is almost the same for most balers, it's just the mounting kit (and spray heads) that are different for each baler, and are what is needed to order the right one..... In other words.... if you have a green baler, you don't HAVE to go to JD to order an applicator.

I can't speak for the Dohrman unit , as we don't have any, but Messick's does stock the harvestec parts, not sure if a dealer does down your way or not. We've been using Harvestec applicators since 2000, and I think the only things we ever needed were some o-rings for the lids, and maybe a pressure gauge.

Rodney


----------



## Bcreech (Dec 29, 2012)

I am interested in an applicator I am in Arkansas and the humidity kills us on getting hay to cure. I bale approx 4000 rounds a yr and I was thinking a preservative would help me tremendously on curing time and let me bale when I need to instead of getting hay ruined by the next rain
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated
I run a NH round baler


----------



## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

NDVA HAYMAN said:


> We start feeding our new hay 2 months after baling. Mike


 I have noticed that acid treated hay gives off an unpleasant aroma for a few weeks, maybe thats why horses didn't like it. I only use it when i need to but have yet to have any customer mention their horses wouldn't eat it.


----------

