Round Bale Hay Scale Weighs On The Go

Round Bale Hay Scale Weighs On The Go HAY & FORAGE HARVESTING Bale Handling (5) 8-1-34 When custom baler J.D. Rogers, Checotah, Okla., got tired of never knowing the weight of bales he produced for customers, he decided to make his own "on board" hay scale. The scissor-type bale weighing device is designed to fit any round baler and fits between the bale chamber and the baler support wheels. It's accurate to within less than 1%. "It'll let you make bales of the same weight regardless of varying conditions. When hay is moist or dense, the bales will be smaller and when it's dry they'll be larger. For the individual farmer, this lets him make all his bales the same weight, matching them to his feeding and handling equipment and, most importantly of all, letting him know exactly how much he's feeding to livestock," Rogers told FARM SHOW. For custom balers, and their customers, Rogers says his bale weigher should be standard equipment. "Manufacturers have estimates on how big a bale their machine will make but, when we weigh bales, we find almost no bales of the stated weight. Many custom balers overestimate the weight of the bales, thus making more bales and overcharging their customers." Rogers has been using the bale scale on his Vermeer baler for the past couple years. He has approached both Vermeer and Deere & Co. with the idea but has not yet worked out an agreement with either company. The hay scale requires no modification of the baler itself. The scissor type unit mounts between support wheels and the chamber, using hydraulic load cells. Readout in the tractor cab is either with a simple pressure gauge converted to pounds, or with a digital readout that can be fitted to the unit. Rogers is looking for a manufacturer for the unit. He figures it will cost between $1,000 and $2,000. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Laurence J.D. Rogers, Rt. 1, Box 230, Checotah, Okla. 74426 (ph 918 463-2603).

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