Cost-effective baling for farmers
McCarthy Contracting is working on a costeffective laboursaving system that farmers can use for feeding out supplements.
It involves the operation of Fusion 3 Plus barrel-wrap balers.
The Fusion 3 balers do not require any netwrap to make the bale. Less plastic is wasted during the wrapping process because it is more evenly dispersed around the bale. Thus, when the bale is fed out, there is no need to segregate the plastic from the net wrap and all the plastic can be recycled as one stream.
Rachel McCarthy says the bale weights can be extremely dense and, in good conditions, can exceed more than 300kg of dry matter per bale.
‘‘The baling and wrapping process is a one-man operation using one machine. If there is excess feed on farm, these areas can be easily dealt with in a cost- effective way because not a lot of machinery or labour is required,’’ she says.
Individually wrapping the bales allows flexibility in transporting, selling and feeding different amounts with no wastage.
‘‘When bales are wrapped and stored individually, it reduces the effect of any spoilage that may occur with the product,’’ McCarthy says.
The balers are also equipped with chopping knives to pre-chop the forage as it is baled up. This allows bales to be fed out in various types of bale feeders and silage wagons.
McCarthy Contracting is also introducing a bale carter which can cart six or seven wrapped bales at a time.
‘‘The action of the bale carter is focused around labour saving and keeping costs to a minimum for the farmer. We have single bale carriers available, which are mounted on 3-point linkage for farmers to use,’’ McCarthy says.
McCarthy Contracting sees the introduction of European bale slice handlers for front end loader tractors as the way larger farming operations are heading in order to meet health and safety requirements.
Without moving from the tractor, the operator can pick up a bale, hold it over the silage wagon, feeder or mixer, slice the bale in half and hold onto the plastic during this process.
There is no requirement to climb over the silage wagon or enter hazardous machinery to retrieve string, netwrap or plastic.
Contact McCarthy Contracting on (03)329 6615 or for more information visit their website mccarthycontracting.co.nz.