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Bale processor

S

Sandhills boy

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
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107
Location
Sandhills of Nebraska
Have any of you used an Emerson bale processor? I been thinking of looking at one. Have owned a haybuster(wore out more than one) for years, just don't like the bed chains to deal with. Any opinions would be great. tks
 
We have a emerson 4 bale processor, very well built! Been used 3 years now with no problems. pros are, can feed a bunch of cows in hurry and very little maintenance. Cons, with net wrap cant self load off ground,we load all bales which works for us. all hay is in a barn or stacked 3 high on end so have to move them anyway. We take all the net wrap off by cutting one side along the chain when in the chamber, nicky grabs it I slowly roll it and it all comes off!! away you go. Great people to work with. We also process big squares of straw at calving. pretty versatile machine. probably should of got the 6 bale worried about length and weight not to flat here.
 
If there's any chance you might want to also eliminate a hay grinder in the process, you might consider a Highline 651 or 650 with the fine cut option. Takes far less HP than a tub grinder and you can make a pile of ground hay, just not real tall. Grinds at the speed of a normal processor. Cash price for the unit shown is ~~25K. Seems like it makes much less dust than a hay grinder.

http://www.highlinemfg.com/pages/cfr651
 
Thanks for the info traveler, but just looking for a processor to feed cows and our own calves. We buy a lot hay so not sure what will get, so we process it and think it extends the hay and makes better feed. This is just my 2 cents. thanks again
 
Sandhills boy said:
Thanks for the info traveler, but just looking for a processor to feed cows and our own calves. We buy a lot hay so not sure what will get, so we process it and think it extends the hay and makes better feed. This is just my 2 cents. thanks again
Click to expand...

The thing about a processor, it doesn't make bad hay any more nutritious,
it just breaks it down so they can eat more of it. Do you have your hay tested? It's getting more important to know what is in your hay. Just a FWIW.
 
Yes we do but it can very a lot from bale to bale, we found that feeding top quality mineral is the key for us. This is our third year on the mineral. My dad said we weaned the best and heavies calve this ranch has seen in his 35 years here. When we weaned, our cows were in fabulous shape. thanks for the info and the thoughts.
 
Traveler said:
If there's any chance you might want to also eliminate a hay grinder in the process, you might consider a Highline 651 or 650 with the fine cut option. Takes far less HP than a tub grinder and you can make a pile of ground hay, just not real tall. Grinds at the speed of a normal processor. Cash price for the unit shown is ~~25K. Seems like it makes much less dust than a hay grinder.

http://www.highlinemfg.com/pages/cfr651
Click to expand...

How do they compare against a haybuster 2655 shortcut?
 
3words said:
Traveler said:
If there's any chance you might want to also eliminate a hay grinder in the process, you might consider a Highline 651 or 650 with the fine cut option. Takes far less HP than a tub grinder and you can make a pile of ground hay, just not real tall. Grinds at the speed of a normal processor. Cash price for the unit shown is ~~25K. Seems like it makes much less dust than a hay grinder.

http://www.highlinemfg.com/pages/cfr651
Click to expand...

How do they compare against a haybuster 2655 shortcut?
Click to expand...
Had two salesmen question whether the Haybuster would chop it up fine enough to blend and go through a mixer wagon, but I have no first hand knowledge of it. The highline hay looks like it's been through something smaller than a 3" screen.
 
You can't go wrong with Emerson, they are built by a rancher for ranchers. Tom knows what he is doing and hasn't been afraid to improve on what was already pretty good. They have one of the best, if not the best processors on them, it is built right in their shop. The bed chains run through the processor so there is no dropping the bales into it, much easier on drawbars as well as everything else. They are heavy duty and will last a lifetime if you maintain them. I have run D&W's, Vermeer, Highline, Kramer, and Emerson, the Emerson is my pick. I hear arguments about them being too heavy, I have never heard of such a thing when it comes to equipment. They aren't easily torn up. If you see Tom's crew working on a bale processor in their shop, it more than likely isn't an Emerson, unless they are putting new chain guides and chain on one. I know guys that argue that the D&W is easier to load due the the entire bed lowering to the ground instead of tilting. I prefer the tilt, I can get under a bale no matter what, the D&W will slide on top of snow. I would be willing to bet that after buying an Emerson you will never own anything else and probably won't ever get rid of the first one you buy.
 
Thanks flyingS, I have a 2 bale haybuster, So thinking of sell the haybuster. Just hate those bed chains, on the buster. Never been around the Emerson so kicking it around, thinking of getting 2 bale Emerson Thanks again!
 
Traveler said:
3words said:
Traveler said:
If there's any chance you might want to also eliminate a hay grinder in the process, you might consider a Highline 651 or 650 with the fine cut option. Takes far less HP than a tub grinder and you can make a pile of ground hay, just not real tall. Grinds at the speed of a normal processor. Cash price for the unit shown is ~~25K. Seems like it makes much less dust than a hay grinder.

http://www.highlinemfg.com/pages/cfr651
Click to expand...

How do they compare against a haybuster 2655 shortcut?
Click to expand...
Had two salesmen question whether the Haybuster would chop it up fine enough to blend and go through a mixer wagon, but I have no first hand knowledge of it. The highline hay looks like it's been through something smaller than a 3" screen.
Click to expand...

I checked the length of my hay this morning after i put it through my haybuster 2655 shortcut and it would defiantly go through a 3" screen.I normally only chop it that fine,when i'm feeding alfalfa that has got to coarse.My 4' tall swathed greenfeed oats would probably be comparable to a 6" screen.
 
Sandhills boy said:
Thanks flyingS, I have a 2 bale haybuster, So thinking of sell the haybuster. Just hate those bed chains, on the buster. Never been around the Emerson so kicking it around, thinking of getting 2 bale Emerson Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Why do you hate the floor chain?Last 1 had for 7 years and never had a problem with the chain,just traded it because i wanted to buy the shortcut version.
 
They are pain in neck to work on when they start to fail, somewhere around 10,000 bales depending on how you care for it. They are not cheap to work on or replace, but each to his own, if you like them that is why they build them. I am choosing to look for better, and more improved design. I am not hating on them, I just hate to work on equipment when cold as hell.
 
flyingS said:
My guess is that he has had to rebuild on of the miserable POS. I just bought a used D&W, only because I can't afford an Emerson and there aren't any used ones for sale. Hopefully I can afford one some day.
Click to expand...

What are they asking for a bigger Emerson feeders?

I think they have used one for sale at cherry county implement in Valentine, I just seen it there, no idea on price. Least I think it was Emerson it was blue, I did not look at it.
 
Can I recommend something folks might want to avoid? Vermeer BPX 9000. Had 2 of them last year, still have 1. Flails wear out quickly, and developed a lot of cracks all over that were welded and some plated, all under warranty. A plastic floor liner came loose and got chewed up. I know the boys used them pretty hard, but they are/were a disappointment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHISbHhJjnA
 
Traveler said:
Can I recommend something folks might want to avoid? Vermeer BPX 9000. Had 2 of them last year, still have 1. Flails wear out quickly, and developed a lot of cracks all over that were welded and some plated, all under warranty. A plastic floor liner came loose and got chewed up. I know the boys used them pretty hard, but they are/were a disappointment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHISbHhJjnA
Click to expand...

That is why we ended up with the last haybuster, we thought about the Vermeer, but a neighbor had one and just hated it, said would not rotate the bale right at all at times. So we had haybuster before and did not want to take a chance on the Vermeer. Maybe they are alright I don't know, but I think the Emerson has it beat, my 2 cents.
 

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