A new bale chaser offers efficiency and reduced handling time in managing round hay and silage bales - and at a reasonable price.
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The Finnish manufactured chaser, the Panther R10, can carry up to 10 round bales from 120 to 146 centimetres offering a level of handling efficiency typically only seen in square bale management.
Importer, ACF Equipment Supplies, said the Panther R10 would suit larger farmers and contractors and was priced around $60,000.
The chaser consists of two hydraulically operated circular frames which roll down from a heavy-duty trailer to pick-up bales in the paddock.
The frame then retracts with the bale secured in the frame to the trailed transport position.
The bales are held into place with stoppers at the front and hydraulically operated pushers on the rear, which tighten up the pack.
The compact fold size of the machine allows good visibility of the process from the cabin.
ACF said it is designed to make round bale chasing a one-person operation and helps eliminate the need for extra equipment - namely a loader in the paddock and trucks running bales to storage.
It also reduces labour requirements as the bales can be collected, transported and dropped in rows at a shed with the same tractor later used to stack the bales if required.
ACF’s James Fitzpatrick said the unit had been modified to suit all Australian round bale sizes and conditions.
“It's really well engineered and we’ve ordered it with an adjustable drawbar so you can put it on large or small tractors and it will always run level with the ground.
“You will need a 100 hp (73 kilowatt) tractor at minimum to operate it because of the weight rather than the hydraulic demand,” he said.
He said each hydraulic bale ring has its own load sensing valve so if the weight is at one-end of the ring it will continue to lift evenly, without twisting.
The unit measures 8.3 metres long, 2.6m wide and 3.0m high when fully folded for on-road use.
The simple design weighs just 3.8 tonnes and is equipped with 560/45 R22.5 flotation tyres to reduce compaction and is fitted with hydraulic operated brakes and has an option of air brakes.
The company has two machines in field testing near Casino, NSW and Shepparton, Victoria at the moment.
“There are demo units running around now and units will start landing in about May next year,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.
“We are allowing time for customers to understand the new technology coming through and will do on-farm days to demonstrate it.
“The feedback has been good and the two out there have had nothing changed - we’ve got the detail right.”
