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Tractor Mounted Bale Cutting Knife
Sliced-up big bales feed out easier, according to a Nebraska farmer who's come up with a new tractor-mounted big bale knife.
Marion K. Woerman, who farms near Oakland, says he got tired of trying to tear hay off round bales for feeding to livestock in close quarters. His 3-pt. mounted knife makes a quick slice t
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Tractor mounted bale cutting knife BALERS Balers 10-1-2 Sliced-up big bales feed out easier, according to a Nebraska farmer who's come up with a new tractor-mounted big bale knife.
Marion K. Woerman, who farms near Oakland, says he got tired of trying to tear hay off round bales for feeding to livestock in close quarters. His 3-pt. mounted knife makes a quick slice through the bale that not only frees up the hay for small-portion feeding but also helps live-stock tear them open when placed in round bale feeders. Tub grinders can also handle big bales faster and easier once they're cut, notes Woerman.
The big bale knife is 6-ft. long. "It's modeled after old-style hay knives. A hydraulic cylinder with a 22-in. stroke gives the blade its sawing action," says Woerman, noting that the operator works the hydraulic lever back and forth for the 30 sec. or so it takes to cut through a bale.
"The operator pushes the knife into the center of the bale and works it upward to within a couple inches of the outer edge of the bale. If he stops there, the strings will still hold the bale together. If the bale is already in position for feeding, you can cut all the way through. Woerman says cutting half-way through the bale is all that's necessary to break it wide open," Woerman points out. "The knife can also be mounted to cut towards the ground but it works better with the weight of the bale on the blade. It's important, however, to have at least one bale lined up behind the bale to act as a backstop to keep it from sliding backward when the knife is inserted.
"I've cut several hundred bales with my original hay knife and bale cutter and I haven't had to sharpen the knife yet. It's built very strong," says Woerman, noting that the bale knife can be removed in a couple minutes by simply removing pins, leaving a heavy-duty bale fork made from 4 by 4-in. sq. tubing.
The bale cutter bale fork sells for $879.
For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Marion K. Woerman, Rt. 1, Box 67, Oakland, Neb. 68045 (ph 402 685-5905).
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