# Custom Baling



## Toddcr134 (Oct 18, 2014)

Does anyone charge differently for baling haylage vs dry bales? And if so what are you charging per 4x5 bale, dry and haylage?


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

The big custom guy near me says he charges the same per bale wet and dry . but due to weight he has to make the bales much smaller and the wet bales have less hay more water . Even though he charges the same $8.25 per bale it does cost much more for a field baled wet .


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

endrow said:


> The big custom guy near me says he charges the same per bale wet and dry . but due to weight he has to make the bales much smaller and the wet bales have less hay more water . Even though he charges the same $8.25 per bale it does cost much more for a field baled wet .


It will also take him longer because he's making smaller bales and he'll use more net too. But if he finds it easier to charge the same, more power to him.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

It will take less time per bale and less net per bale for small bales so it will be more profitable. Plus you get more bales per stop which cuts down on roading costs. A mitigating factor might be the increased weight of wet bales .I think endrow meant it will cost more for the customer.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

This past year I charged $7.85 per 4x5 bale dry. Most of the baleage around here is 4x4 which I charge $8.00. Had one customer that wanted 4x5 baleage, wasn't happy about it but didn't want to lose his business charged $9.00.


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

IH 1586 said:


> This past year I charged $7.85 per 4x5 bale dry. Most of the baleage around here is 4x4 which I charge $8.00. Had one customer that wanted 4x5 baleage, wasn't happy about it but didn't want to lose his business charged $9.00.


How do you make money charging that? Too cheap.


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## treymo (Dec 29, 2013)

What are you charging Gradyjohn?

Trey


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

John Deere 567 net wrap. Cut, rake and bale $22.50.


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## treymo (Dec 29, 2013)

Why the package deal? Is everything relatively the same as far as bales/acre?

Trey


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

gradyjohn said:


> How do you make money charging that? Too cheap.


Who said it was about making money...Just kidding. My rates are in line with USDA statistics for my area. My mowing and raking rates are all priced separately. Bale price is just for the baling.


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

treymo said:


> Why the package deal? Is everything relatively the same as far as bales/acre?
> 
> Trey


Pretty much. Of course, during the worst part of the drought I should have charged by the acre instead of by the bale. That is what most people charge in North Texas. Very seldom do I just do one operation and not the other. Only when someone breaks down with one of their machine. I charge a little more for milo stalks because they are hard on the equipment and require at least 3 wraps. Do mostly Coastal.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

gradyjohn said:


> John Deere 567 net wrap. Cut, rake and bale $22.50.


What do you do if yields are low with your price all wrapped up in one. If yields are low I still make the same when mowing and raking, just my # of bales take a hit.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

$22 per bale 4X5.5 for cutting,raking & baling with netwrap. $45 per acre minimum plus $500 minimum to crank a tractor per customer. With the price of parts I thinking of going up to $24 per bale next season. I personally see no reason to price each task of making a bale separately unless one doesn't compete the job.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

gradyjohn said:


> John Deere 567 net wrap. Cut, rake and bale $22.50.


At two bales per acre=
Cut $7.50 per bale
Rake $3.50
Bale $11.50
Now figure a 5X6 versus 4X5. You're baling for less than IH 1586


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

IH 1586 said:


> What do you do if yields are low with your price all wrapped up in one. If yields are low I still make the same when mowing and raking, just my # of bales take a hit.


Nobody prices it separate down here.



Tx Jim said:


> $22 per bale 4X5.5 for cutting,raking & baling with netwrap. $45 per acre minimum plus $500 minimum to crank a tractor per customer. With the price of parts I thinking of going up to $24 per bale next season. I personally see no reason to price each task of making a bale separately unless one doesn't compete the job.


I will probably do a min cost per acre next spring. $24 sound good to me. We can't be accused of price fixing? I don't do twine ... but is some insisted I think I would charge $26. More time and fuel. Net wrap is so fast that stop to start time isn't enough time to get a beer and sandwich sandwich out of the cooler.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

I charge $6.00 more for wet bales. The plastic wrap is $80 per roll and does 25 bales so why do people charge the same. Gotta get paid for the plastic and something for the wrapper. IMHO Mike


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

The going rate to roll 4x5's is $10 here.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

NDVA HAYMAN said:


> I charge $6.00 more for wet bales. The plastic wrap is $80 per roll and does 25 bales so why do people charge the same. Gotta get paid for the plastic and something for the wrapper. IMHO Mike


They are only talking about baling and net wrap.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Seems that some are getting confused about what is included:

Some charge separate for each operation. Some an all in one deal. It appears to be a regional thing.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

There is a local guy, a nice retired gent just looking for something to do. He will cut, tedder, rake, roll and put your hay in the barn for $20. Putting it in the barn is only if the barn is on the property and he just uses his tractor, no hauling. Has 2 cab Deeres and a 458.

If he made a tight bale it would be cheaper for me to hire him rather than do it myself. He is a cut up type and laughingly told me he could do it so cheap because he did not put much hay in the rolls. Said they stand up good for a couple of hours.

All the tight wads around here use him. They brag about what a good deal it is and how many more rolls he makes than when someone else did it. I want to ask them where they think the extra rolls come from?

I just smile and nod.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

Around here it is usually an all in price but I have a couple of customers that want to do the cutting and raking an just hire the baling. I really prefer it and wish I had more that would do the same.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

Tim/South said:


> There is a local guy, nice retired gent just looking for something to do. He will cut, tedder, rake, roll and put your hay in the barn for $20. Putting it in the barn is only if the barn is on the property and he just uses his tractor, no hauling. Has 2 cab Deeres and a 458.
> 
> If he made a tight bale it would be cheaper for me to hire him rather than do it myself. He is a cut up type and laughingly told me he could do it so cheap because he did not put much hay in the rolls. Said they stand up good for a couple of hours.
> 
> ...


Not a real bright bunch are they. We have a couple here that work together and do the same thing. They can get 3 rolls to an acre where I can only get 2. They cut a bunch of hay and everyone is tickled pink for them to roll their hay.


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## Brian8 (Dec 8, 2014)

You have to look at it from their perspective and their perspective is pure ignorance when it comes to baling. All the customer knows is they want either a round bale or square bale and couldnt tell you if it was a 4x5 baled tight and weighing 1100lbs or baled loose and weighing 800 lbs. so if your baling there fields they see that they get more bales from this guy then that other guy that makes nice tight heavy bales. It would be different with squares and you left them in the field for them to put away because they would be like holy crap that is a heavy ass square bale or its light, so it would be more in their field of understanding the ton/acre. It actually costs them more to go with the loosely rolled bales since they are paying per role and that guy is smart and making extra money by going loose and by word of mouth saying how many bales you get from him. Whatever if you don't want to educate yourself just a little on anything that involves you paying for work then there is a chance of getting ripped off. Your choice


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## Brian8 (Dec 8, 2014)

I would rather hire the cutting and raking and make my own bales. That way you can make the bales as good or crappy as you want. That's what I'll be doing when we move.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

I don't do any custom work, but if I did I would probably have it priced for each operation, then just add it together for the total. The only stipulation I would put on it is if they want small squares picked up with my stacker wagon, I do the baling. I'm not about to try and run loose, inconsistent length bales through my wagon... I put up with enough of that when I first got it and relearned how to bale hay!


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

costs me 14 per bale. 4x4 from a claas 250 uniwrap with processor. I get net and 6 wraps. He cuts and bales I rake and haul. Saves me a ton of time and those uniwrap machines are the cats pajamas. Rock hard bales with a great chop. They mix really well. I will use this guy until I can afford a Krone 3x4 with chopper and do my own.


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## Toddcr134 (Oct 18, 2014)

Thanks for all the input guys! What I'm thinking of doing is charging $8.50 or so per dry bale and $12.50 per wet bale. I have a feeling I will be doing a lot of wet bales. Which will be harder on the equipment. I haven't bought my baler yet but I am thinking a John Deere 582 or 854 will work good.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

I get $14.00 for a 4X5 with 2 wraps of net wet or dry.


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

rajela said:


> I get $14.00 for a 4X5 with 2 wraps of net wet or dry.


How many bales do you get per net role? How much does a role of net cost.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

A roll of net is about $230.00 for a 9,000' roll and it will cover some where around 250 rolls. I have never really keep an exact count per roll. Some rolls will be 60" and some will be 62" so the bales per roll varies a little.


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## Hay Varment (Dec 24, 2014)

I do a lot of custom bailing on dry hay I do a 5 x 5.5 and I charge 12 00 a roll and on haylage I do a 5 x 4.5 and get 10 00 a roll the haylage


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

We bale mostly wet. 52 to 56 inch bales. 2.25 wraps of net. Average 70 cents a bale for net.


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