Big Bale Retriever Powers Itself

Big Bale Retriever Powers Itself LIVESTOCK Horses/Mules 32-5-28 Moving big round bales is fast and easy with this self-powered bale carrier that's designed for use with horses but could also be used behind pickups or tractors without hydraulics. It was demonstrated at Horse Progress Days in early July. The 19-ft. long unit can handle up to four 4 by 5-ft. bales per load, loading and unloading quickly. "If bales are within 50 ft. of each other, I can load four in less than two minutes," says Nelson B. Weaver, Trail Farm Supply. "Unloading is fast too, as they drop off in line." The key to the speed is the smooth working hydraulics that pick up the bale, swing it into place and drop back to get the next bale while the operator moves the first one out of the way. Although only powered by a 5 1/2 hp motor, the two-stage hydraulic pump provides plenty of power, automatically shifting gears as needed. The hydraulics also power the brakes on the Pioneer brand wagon gear. The brakes, like the barriers protecting the operator, add safety to the unit. The bale fork arm is made from 4 by 4-in., 1/4-in. thick steel tubing. The forks themselves are 3 by 3-in. tubing. The outside fork is longer than the inside fork, with the extra length bending away at a 30¦ angle. The extension lets the operator approach a bale that is perpendicular to the line of travel and push it in line for the forks. "When you are loading on a hillside, you can travel across the slope instead of up and down," says Weaver. "That makes it easier on the horses." Weaver sells the units for $7,300. While sized for 4-ft. long bales, the arms can be adjusted for 4 or 5-ft. dia. bales. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Trail Farm Supply, 3251 TR 414, Dundee, Ohio 44624 (ph 330 893-1918).

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