Eliminates wait times involved with the wrapping and ejection of the bale
By Katelyn Benjamins, University of Guelph Agricultural Communications Student, for Farms.com
Baling is a time-consuming process in the forage and straw industries in North America, but using the continuous baling concept can save time.
Although the idea of continuous baling has been around for years, no manufacturer has been able to actually create the technology to make it work. That may have changed, however, with the Lely Welger CB concept baler, released in September. The company wants to capture the continuous concept, through a new design that seeks to wrap and release the bale while starting to roll a new one.
It’s made a believer out of dairy farmer and customer operator Peter Thoma of Kerwood, Ontario who currently uses a base model from Lely.
“We have had our baler for seven years now and haven’t gone back to any other baler since,” he says.
From using the Welger Lely baler as a base model for the initial design of the new concept, Lely hopes to add on to the perks that producers are said to be experiencing. “You can fit more pounds in per bale with Lely balers, making for better bales,” says Thoma. In addition, he likes being able to make bigger bales, ranging from three to six feet.
The Welger CB concept baler is designed to avoid the wait times involved with the wrapping and ejection of the bale. Due to the simultaneous function, not having to stop each time a bale reaches the proper size will save producers time.
The company’s tests show the added-on continuous concept can allow producers to make 110-130 bales per hour. This will increase productivity in a shorter amount of time, and lower production costs.
Further, the new design seeks to work with no pressure drop. The continuous flow of air out of the forage should improve its quality.
The new design will also deliver a higher level of operator comfort, in addition to having less strain on the tractor. The added comfort and lessened wear and tear of the baler on equipment will reduce production costs and help producers make better use of their time.
Further testing of the continuous baler prototype is underway to assess the added perks. An official launch date for the new piece of equipment has not yet been announced.
Katelyn Benjamins is a fourth year student at the University of Guelph, taking a Bachelor of Commerce in Food and Agricultural Business. Being raised on a farrow-to-finish hog operation and working on numerous dairy farms throughout her career, Katelyn has a strong passion of the agricultural lifestyle and all that it contains. She is always seeking to know what is new in agriculture. In addition, she loves to watch how the agricultural industry is growing today, examining how she may be able to help and take part in the industry's bright future. This article is part of Katelyn's course work for the University of Guelph agricultural communications course, instructed by Prof. Owen Roberts.