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Round Hay Baler Belts

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Published: November 30, 2006

Any fall farm landscape would not be complete without huge bales of golden hay peppering the fields. However, as commonplace as they may seem today, farmers did not have the means to produce these massive bales of hay until the invention of the round baler in 1972.

An estimated 151 million tons of hay were harvested in 2002, according to the National Agricultural Statistical Reporting Service. Hay is baled to package the grain more densely, allowing for efficient transport and wider distribution. Farmers would not be able to package and supply hay so effectively without the invention of hay baler belts.

Prior to the conception of the modern hay baler, farmers used to bale hay by hand in the fields. By the 1940s, tractors with up to 20 horsepower engines would roll the hay into bales. Farmers would tie the bales and additional workers would use sharp metal hooks to grab the hay, toss it into a flatbed wagon and stack it in the barn. Later, farmers would use ramps to push the baled hay onto the following flatbed. In yet another time-saving agricultural innovation, balers utilizing hay baler belts were created.

Hay baler belts, in conjunction with motorized rollers, have helped make certain the majority of hay used in the United States is made from baled hay. The ease of using hay baler belts to help roll hay and transport finished bales of hay up to storage areas inside the bale wagon helps to reduce the necessity of excessive manual labor on a farm.

The Vermeer Company created the round baler in 1972. Models of this innovation continue to be produced, and Vermeer round balers continue to represent durability and reliability for farmers nationwide. The company's round baler belts come in a variety of textures, including mini rough top, continuous chevron, rough top herringbone and diamond top.

Gehl is another renowned agricultural company known for creating quality farming machinery. Their round balers are available in five different models, each containing six-inch round baler belts. Gehl baler belts are closely configured in a staggered pattern to minimize trash build-up.

Large squares of bales, which contain 20 to 40 small square bales, allow hay to stay fresher, making it difficult for the core of the bale to perspire. In 2006, the John Deere Company released its newest product line: the 8 Series Round Balers. These new machines boast faster baling times, smoother riding on rough grounds, decreased ground compaction, top durability and easy maintenance. John Deere's newest round balers boast top quality hay baler belts.

No matter what company creates the hay baler belts, however, farmers must be wary of a few problems, most notably friction. Friction causes hay baler belts to become stressed, knotting the twine and causing it to grip the bale. Occasionally, this pressure causes bales to break apart, requiring re-baling.

Baling hay has many perks: it allows for the efficient transport of grains, keeps hay fresher and reduces handling and labor costs. The face of farming changed with the invention of hay baler belts, propelling the United States into the forefront of agricultural efficiency.




Sources:
Baler. 2006. Wikipedia. 28 Nov. 2006.
Gehl. 2006. 28 Nov. 2006.
Hay Making and Handling Made Easier. Oct. 2003. AgrAbility Project. 27 Nov. 2006.
How Products are Made. 2006. 22 Nov. 2006.
John Deere. 2006. 27 Nov. 2006.
OB&E Rubber Co. 2006. 27 Nov. 2006.
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