# Haygrazer Killing Me This Year



## farmersammm (Nov 2, 2017)

Been putting up haygrazer for over 20yrs, and never had issues like this year.

Always baled it with a NH846 chain baler............absolutely no issues, bales like a dream.

Switched to a NH650 last year, and barely made it thru the field. Stinkin' machine won't start a bale. Core refuses to tumble,, and you wind up digging it out.

This is what I handle on a yearly basis.






Is there a belt style out there that will start a roll on the belt baler, the 650 has standard mini rough top belts. Or is there a belt baler out there that will ACTUALLY handle this kind of crop.

I have no intentions of putting it up as haylage, and only interested in hay.

To finish up this year I'm relying on a NH853 I picked up a few years back. Tired of fighting with belt balers for now, I gotta roll this stuff up before it SNOWS  .

Thanks


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## farmersammm (Nov 2, 2017)

Oh yeah.......put extra traction bars on the floor roller, and modified the starter roller with same type of cross bars. No help.....only starts bale with heavy dew on it.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

What moisture content are you attempting to bale at? Does NH offer a soft core kit for your 650? I know they offer soft core for later model balers because I've seen local bales the the "star" in the flat sides of NH bales. Did you crimp stalks good? I can easily start haygrazer bales with my JD baler


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## farmersammm (Nov 2, 2017)

Tx Jim said:


> What moisture content are you attempting to bale at? Does NH offer a soft core kit for your 650? I know they offer soft core for later model balers because I've seen local bales the the "star" in the flat sides of NH bales. Did you crimp stalks good? I can easily start haygrazer bales with my JD baler


Probably 10% or less moisture, it's been down so long. Usually bale it wetter.

Full width crimper on swather, same as it's been for 20yrs. Same moderate crimp as always. Usually an 8 day dry down before baled. Stalks are cracked, not mangled.

I really don't know if there is a soft core kit for this particular baler. Only had it for a year, and that qualifies as BRAND NEW for me. 

Only thing I don't do anymore, usually, is turn the windrows before baling. I'm wondering if they're too wide for a good start. Use a two wheel 3pt rake to flip the hay to dry it, and it usually balls it up in a narrow high windrow. That might be the issue  This "new" 650 has a wide pickup with augers at the corners. The augers seem to want to hold the hay when starting a bale. But......they eat it like candy once the bale is started.

To be honest, I love the heavy tight bales this thing puts out. Nice solid 4x6. I hate 4x5's. I feed my hay, don't sell it, and the bigger bales mean a lot less work, and more leeway when preparing for bad weather. I can put out a weeks worth in fewer feeders with the larger bales.

Just so we're on the same page............I always cut when it's higher than the cab. Lot of the guys around here like to cut when it's waist high (and they suffer the obvious nitrate issues due to this). They have a less obnoxious crop to bale when its cut short. But sometimes the fertilizer isn't grown out, and they poison their cows. I've never had nitrate issues at the height I cut + I leave 6" stubble (where any nitrates might be concentrated). It's been my go-to crop for over 2 decades, and I hate to have to give it up.

I see that the JD balers have a much more aggressive belt facing (diamond), and I'm wondering if it's the reason the JD will start easier....dunno.

Anyways, you made me think about anything I might have changed this year, and that's great.....thanks! I'll probably toddle out and pitchfork a windrow narrow for a few feet, and see if it does the trick.


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## Northeast PA hay and beef (Jan 29, 2017)

I would try a narrower windrow. Our 648 did not like to start bales with a wide windrow.


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## farmersammm (Nov 2, 2017)

Northeast PA hay and beef said:


> I would try a narrower windrow. Our 648 did not like to start bales with a wide windrow.


Glad to hear that. It's the one thing this year I changed.

Weather got us this year.......too wet in the Spring......and too wet when time to cut. Then cut it, and it started raining again for days. Then PTO crapped out on the Oliver. Heckuva year.

What I got now is almost like straw. Still pretty good feed with a supplement, but murder to put up.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

NH parts shows a relief valve conversion kit but I don't know if that is a soft core kit. I agree wider windrows are more difficult to start a core.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

Might try pulling into the windrow with the pto off and bunching up the hay in front of the pickup. Then turn it on at med rpms and take the whole slug in at once. Works for the old Vermeer balers. I agree narrowing up the windrow will help too.


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

My 648 has a big spring that has to do with how tight the core is... maybe loosen or tighten the nut/spring and see what that will do...


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

Just looked at the video.... crap that's some big stuff, johnson grass doesn't get that big here....


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## farmersammm (Nov 2, 2017)

Hey, thanks for all the input. Like I say, it made me think. Figured out what I did different this year, and I'm back in business.

Pitchfork the first 8 feet of the windrow down to 4 feet wide, and she starts like a dream.

It's the little stupid things. Thanks

Run one baler for 20yrs, and changeover to a "new" one is a PITA. 

Take care


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

farmersammm said:


> Been putting up haygrazer for over 20yrs, and never had issues like this year.
> 
> Always baled it with a NH846 chain baler............absolutely no issues, bales like a dream.
> 
> ...


My old Ford 552 (rebranded Gehl) belt baler handles haygrazer just fine...

Sorry can't help you with ideas on the baler you have.

Best of luck! OL J R


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